How do arts activities provide positive engagement for dementia?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How do arts activities provide positive engagement for individuals with dementia in a care home setting and what are the barriers and enablers of positive engagement?
IRAS ID
207153
Contact name
Amy Veale
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Worcester
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 28 days
Research summary
This study will attempt to understand the phenomenon of engagement in arts activities for people with dementia. Recent years have seen an increased interest in the use of the arts as a way to provide meaningful engagement for people with dementia in care homes. Despite an increase in arts based practices, there is a lack of research looking at how activities engage individuals. We also lack an understanding of the barriers and enablers of engagement in arts activities.
To study engagement in the level of depth required, I will focus my observations on a small number of different arts activities. I will describe what happens during an activity and how individuals engage as the activity unfolds. Following each observation, I will speak individually with each participant to understand their experience of the activity as far as possible. I will make some initial interpretations of engagement based on my observations and discussions. I will consider the nature of engagement for each individual and what might have shaped their engagement. I will then interview the artist/therapist who led the activity to consider their interpretations. I will also interview key staff and family members where possible, to consider their insights.
I hope to observe four arts activities in total. These activities are likely to be observed across two care homes. I will try to identify patterns of engagement across these activities. This understanding of engagement will be shaped by my own interpretations, by the interpretations of artists, staff and family, and by the experiences of people with dementia as far as possible. A deeper understanding of engagement could result in the development and delivery of more considered arts activities for people with dementia.
REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
16/IEC08/0048
Date of REC Opinion
9 Dec 2016
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion