Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
Opening Minds through Art (OMA):
Scripps intergenerational art program for
people with dementia (Part 1)
Elizabeth “Like” Lokon, PhD
([email protected])
Tel. 513-529-2648 - Office: Upham 206A
CONTENTS:
1. How does Alzheimer’s disease affect the brain?
2. What is Opening Minds through Art (OMA)?
CAUSES OF DEMENTIA:
Source: Alzheimer’s Research UK
© E. Lokon
Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
1. How does Alzheimer’s disease affect the brain?
BRAIN AFFECTED BY ALZHEIMER’S:
Left: from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pathology.
Right: Retrieved from http://www.alz-nic.org/cross_sectioncompareBorder.jpg
Note gaps in various areas of the brain. The cortex is notably affected.
Prefrontal cortex is working memory – communicates with long-term memory which is in the
Hippocampus (which cannot be seen as it sits in the middle of the brain). Cerebellum controls
skill memory – skill memory is stored separately – this is why you will see people carry out
actions even if they cannot remember what they are actually trying to do. (It is like the old adage
that once you learn to ride a bike you never forget). Broca’s Area is the language center of the
brain. (Source: Alzheimer’s Association.)
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Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
Source: Alzheimer’s Association
AMYLOID PLAQUES AND NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES
Retrieved on 11/04/08 from http://www.healthinformer.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/cells.jpg
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Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
Retrieved 11/04/08 from http://www.ghi.com/WebMD/topics/alzheimernerve.jpg
PROGRESSION OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE VIDEO (3 min.)
(Video by David Shenk (Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wv9jrk-gXc)
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Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
CORTICAL LOBES
Source:
http://www.wpclipart.com/medical/anatomy/brain/lobes_of_cerebral_cortex_and_functions.png.ht
ml
SUPPORTING THE CORTICAL LOBES:
Frontal lobe – Decision making, problem solving, planning:
 Talk about what needs to be done (planning).
 Give clear verbal and nonverbal signals.
 Slow down when assisting.
Parietal lobe – Reception and processing of sensory information from the body:
 Touch and name body parts when assisting.
 Help to redirect gaze in the right direction.
Temporal lobe – Memory, emotion, hearing, language
 Repeat information in a positive and relaxed way.
 Use simple and concrete language, but NOT “Elder Speak”
Occipital lobe – Visual processing
 Approach from the front, make eye contact
 Present objects at eye level, within 6-8 in.
 Remove objects not needed.
Source: May, H., Edwards, P., Brooker, D. (2009). Enriched care planning for people with
dementia: A good practice guide for delivering person-centered dementia care. London: Jessica
Kingsley Publishers, p. 127.
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Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
Emotional Contagion = Emotional Mirroring (Strum, V. E. et al, 2013)
 Affect sharing that is at the core of empathy.
 Mechanism used to synchronize physiological and behavioral states with another person
to promote social and helping behaviors.
 Can spread rapidly across individuals.
 Does not depend on higher order cognitive processing. It is an unconscious processing.
 Present in infants, birds, rodents, primates etc.
 Associated with smaller R-hemisphere temporal lobe, smaller hippocampal volume.
Emotional Contagion Comparison:
Higher order cognitive function inhibits instinctual responses. As higher-order functions fail, there
is less dampening effect and automatic/unconscious responses rise to the surface. So, as the
disease progresses, destroying more brain cells and cognitive skills, this emotional empathy gets
stronger, allowing patients to become more sensitive — and more vulnerable — to the feelings,
words, and behaviors of other people.
Amnesia Study (Feinstein, J. S. et al, 2010). – Replicated with people with dementia
Timeline of the experiment.
Feinstein J S et al. PNAS 2010;107:7674-7679
©2010 by National Academy of Sciences
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Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
Recollection of film clips and postfilm emotion ratings following the happiness induction.
Feinstein J S et al. PNAS 2010;107:7674-7679
©2010 by National Academy of Sciences
Recollection of film clips and postfilm emotion ratings following the sadness induction.
Feinstein J S et al. PNAS 2010;107:7674-7679
©2010 by National Academy of Sciences
Sustained emotion and memory loss:
Both positive and negative emotional experiences can persist independent of explicit memory for
the inducing event.
Negative emotions dissipate at a slower rate among people with memory impairment when
compared with people who have no memory issues.
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Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
2. What is Opening Minds through Art (OMA)?
Opening Minds through Art (OMA) is a Scripps intergenerational art-making
program for people with dementia (PWD). Utilizing structured art-making
processes, OMA allows PWD to access their creativity. In OMA, PWD are paired
on a weekly basis with volunteers who are trained to support the elders’ creative
expression. The pairs meet in a small group setting to create art. This partnership
enables caregivers, families and volunteers to expand their appreciation of the
remaining capabilities of PWD thereby fulfilling OMA’s mission of “using art to
bridge age and cognitive barriers.” Since its founding in 2007, OMA has served
over a thousand pairs of PWD and volunteers. OMA received a Best Practice
Award from LeadingAge Ohio (2011); is featured as a model program by the
National Center for Creative Aging (2013); was recognized as Program of
Distinction by Generations United (2015); and is listed as a Quality Improvement
Project by Ohio Department of Aging (2015).
MISSION: “Building bridges across age and cognitive barriers through art.”
GOALS of OMA
1. To promote the social engagement, autonomy, and dignity of people with
dementia by providing creative self-expression opportunities;
2. To provide staff and volunteers with opportunities to build intimate
relationships with people with dementia;
3. To show the public the creative self-expression capacities of people with
dementia through exhibitions of their artwork;
4. To contribute to the scholarly literature on dementia care and the arts.
VOLUNTEER/STAFF TRAINING
All assisting volunteers are trained in:
1. The basics of dementia
2. The foundation of OMA philosophy and methodology
3. Skills for effective communication and facilitation of the creative process
for people with dementia.
CONTACT
Elizabeth “Like” Lokon: [email protected]
Tel. (513) 529-2648. Cell: (513) 330-2982
Office: 369B Upham Hall.
Mailbox: Upham 396 (Scripps Gerontology Office)
Website: www.ScrippsOMA.org
Facebook: www.facbook.com/openingmindsthroughart
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Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
OMA Philosophy
OMA is founded on strengths-based psychology: Capitalizing on what people with
dementia still CAN do.
It is designed so that people with dementia can:
a. More freely express themselves and assert their individuality
b. Succeed on their own with minimal assistance only when necessary
c. Feel a sense of personal accomplishment
Person-Centered Philosophy (Kitwood, 1997)
Illness-centered perspective: Person with DEMENTIA
Person-centered perspective: PERSON with dementia
What is “personhood”?
Kitwood (1997) defines personhood as “A standing or status that is bestowed upon
one human being, by others, in the context of relationship and social being. It implies
recognition, respect, and trust” (p. 8).
“A person is a person because of people” -Zulu proverb
And that “the primary task of dementia care … is to maintain personhood in the face
of failing of mental powers” (p. 84).
“Personhood, … , should be linked far more strongly to feeling, emotion, and the
ability to live in relationships, (not on memory, consciousness of self, rationality,
agency, social status, accomplishments)
and here people with dementia are often highly competent – sometimes more so than
their carers” (Kitwood, 1997, p. 10).
THE SHIFT THAT HUMANIZES THE PERSON WITH DEMENTIA (Ronch, 2003)
Illness-centered Perspective
 Focusing on losses/disabilities
 A patient that needs to be
entertained
 Preschool reference
Person-centered Perspective
 Capitalizing on
strengths/abilities
 A person that can grow and
learn
 Modern art reference
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Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
WELL-BEING THEORY (Seligman, 2011)
Well-being is promoted if the activity has the following components:
 Positive emotion
 Engagement
 Relationship
 Meaningfulness
 Accomplishment
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Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
The OMA PROCESS
1. The Huddle: Artist facilitators coach staff and volunteers about the day’s project; staff
members inform artist facilitators and volunteers about the residents’
conditions/moods/concerns on that day.
2. Picking-up partners: Find the artist that you will be working with and take him/her to
the same seating every week. Be sure to introduce yourself and shake hands every
time.
3. Social time: Start with the MOOD BEFORE question. Then make nametags for
artists and for self, small talk, putting aprons on artist and on self. (Apron is a symbol of
productivity and creativity.)
4. Opening song, clap, and opening remarks: To build a sense of community and focus
everyone’s attention, we begin with singing together an old song “You are my
sunshine.” We use the same song every week to create a sense of routine, i.e.
predictable structure. Clap at the end of the song and then follow that with the opening
remarks: Artist facilitator briefly welcomes everyone and introduces the project for the
day.
5. Inspiration: Experiencing authentic art (asking opinions/aesthetic preferences).
6. Distribution of supplies: Attractive “gifts,” offering manageable choices.
7. The creative process: Making something new of value.
a. Getting started (Need more assistance)
b. Getting into the “flow” (Need less assistance)
8. Signing work and giving title: Ask questions like, “What would you call this piece?” or
“What does this remind you of?” or “What do you think/feel when you see this?” (Have
them sign the work if possible.) Use sticky notes to write: Artist’s name, title (if any),
date, and facility’s name.
9. Sharing work with others: Take several finished pieces and show to others in the
group. Be generous with compliments.
10. Artist feedback and session evaluation: Use the form to interview your partner about
the session. Ask the MOOD AFTER question. Then complete your own assessment
of the activity.
11. Closing song, clap, and closing remarks: Artist facilitator leads the closing song,
“This Little Light of Mine.” Clap with everyone at the end of the song. Volunteers say
good-bye to their individual partners; and remember to shake hands.
12. Taking partners back: Volunteers take their partners to their next locations and use
this time to do some more social time.
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© E. Lokon
Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
OMA Artist Feedback
(www.ScrippsOMA.org/survey)
Artist’s Name: _____________________ Date: __________
Your Name: _______________________
Site: ___________
OMA Project Name: __________________________________
1.Which face shows how you feel right now?
BEFORE
1
2
2. How much did you enjoy today’s art project?
Very much
Somewhat
3
4
5
Not at all
3. How much did you enjoy talking to other people during art class?
Very much
Somewhat
Not at all
4. How often were you able to do whatever you wanted during art class?
All the time
Sometime
Never
5. How much do you like your finished artwork?
Very much
Somewhat
Not at all
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© E. Lokon
Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
6. Do you think that your time was well spent?
Yes
Somewhat
No
7. Which face shows how you feel right now?
AFTER
1
2
3
4
5
TO BE COMPLETED BY VOLUNTEERS:
8.
How appropriate was today’s activity for your
partner?
Very
appropriate
5 4
3
2
Not
at all
1
2
Poor
1
9.
Overall, how would you rate this activity?
Excellent
5 4
3
10. Quotable quotes from your partner today and/or comments:
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© E. Lokon