Freedom in art at Dementia cafe
Local photographer and artist, Liz Alderdice is currently working in conjunction with Aberdeenshire Council and Alzheimer Scotland to pilot a scheme where people living with dementia can benefit from being creative.
Liz, who regularly runs courses from her home entitled ‘Ways of seeing’ which encourages creativity through the right brain, is applying this form of learning to the dementia group, which is proving very rewarding for all concerned.
Liz explained: “It’s exciting to work with the group, they are very responsive and they seem to be getting a huge amount out of it.
“They have expressed their surprise because it wasn’t the art they were expecting - it’s about being creative in a very free way, and they found it to be both enjoyable and accessible.”
Aberdeenshire Council Principal arts officer, Carol Leathley said: “Aberdeenshire Council arts and community planning teams has been developing pioneering work to enable dancers, musicians and visual artists to work with people living with dementia, their carers and volunteers. We are early in the project but things are going well and the idea is being well received. It is exciting to see improvements in participants’ self-confidence and their cognitive and motor skills through engaging in the creative process. The creative process can touch and inspire everyone deeply somehow.”
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Monday 21 May 2012
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