EXHIBITING CREATIVE STRENGTH IN THE COMMUNITY: FAMILIAL CAREGIVING, THE ARTS AND DEMENTIA
This research took place in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada between 2012 and 2014. This qualitative arts-informed research elicited the stories of ten individuals with the experience of caring for a loved-one with dementia. Beginning with one on one semi-structured interviews, the participants desc...
| Published in: | Innovation in Aging |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
2017
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| Online Access: | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6250413/ https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igx004.2849 |
| Summary: | This research took place in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada between 2012 and 2014. This qualitative arts-informed research elicited the stories of ten individuals with the experience of caring for a loved-one with dementia. Beginning with one on one semi-structured interviews, the participants described their caregiving journey and their understanding of creativity as well as its connection to dementia and dementia care. Following the interviews, the participants engaged in the process of creating a piece for an exhibit in the community. Through poetry, photo, painting, short story, geo-caching, mixed media, digital story, singing and song-writing, the ten participants exhibited their creative strengths. Findings show that encouraging creativity in caregivers addresses the health and well-being of caregivers, those living with dementia, and the community. This paper explores the potential of a strengths-based perspective when combined with creativity. This talk provides an overview of the arts-informed research process, a photographic walk-through of the “Care-full Pieces of Creativity” exhibit, and a discussion of its impact. |
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