In this issue:
A special issue celebrating the arts in dementia care, looking forward to new opportunities and looking back at over 31 years of articles in JDC on music, dance and movement, poetry and writing, drama and the visual arts.
Arts
By Maria Pasiecznik Parsons, Creative Dementia Arts Network This journal has always championed the arts in dementia care. Creative activities and arts offer people living with dementia opportunities to experience pleasure, inspiration and stimulation, express their feelings, emotions and ideas, and to socialise and maintain social connections that enhance health and wellbeing and quality of ... Read more
Arts
Living well with dementia: the state of the arts
Pasiecznik Parsons M, Coaten R (2024) Living well with dementia: the state of the arts. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6) 23-26. Maria Pasiecznik Parsons and Richard Coaten reflect on changes and challenges in creative arts and dementia that they set out in their forthcoming book. Author Details Maria Parsons is Chief Executive, Creative Dementia ... Read more
Arts
Folding back the years: 1. Music, dance and movement
Benson S (2024) Folding back the years: 1. Music, dance and movement. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)26-28. Sue Benson looks back over 31 years of JDC articles, focusing here on music, dance and movement in dementia care. The arts in dementia care have always been a strong theme in JDC. Right from the start we ... Read more
Arts
Folding back the years: 2. Drama, poetry and visual arts
Knocker S (2024) Folding back the years: 2. Drama, poetry and visual arts. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)29-33. Sally Knocker reflects on some of the drama, poetry and visual arts work featured in over 31 years of JDC Having trained as a dramatherapist in my 30s and been actively involved as a facilitator and a ... Read more
Arts
Creative Space: enabling empowerment and joy
Hastings S (2024) Creative Space: enabling empowerment and joy. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)34-36. Shelley Hastings describes Resonate Arts’ Creative Spaces — inclusive social sessions where people living with dementia and their carers feel welcome and safe to participate in a wide range of arts activities including print-making, film making, animation, clowning, physical theatre, improvisation, ... Read more
Technology
House of Memories: Connecting with Yemeni Elders Heritage
Ward L (2024) House of Memories: Connecting with Yemeni Elders Heritage. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)12-13. Lizzie Ward describes the development of a new resource that brought the Liverpool Yemeni community together, for elders and young people to share memories and pride in their heritage. Author details Lizzie Ward is House of Memories Programme Manager ... Read more
Arts
Spoiled for choice? Two different models for using music in a care home organisation
Latham I. Spoiled for choice? Two different models for using music in a care home organisation. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)18-20. Isabelle Latham describes two different models of using music in Hallmark Care Homes, and the benefits and challenges of each. She urges better coordination between arts practitioners and services to improve outcomes for all ... Read more
Arts
Audio playgrounds: tools for listening or music creation
Pigrem J (2024) Audio playgrounds: tools for listening or music creation. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)10-11. Jon Pigrem describes how the Music Dementia Technology team at the University of Sheffield has worked closely with community groups and care settings to develop an innovative device for music-based activities and therapies Author Details Jon Pigrem is a ... Read more
Museums
Virtual Reality and museum collections: a tool for creating culturally appropriate resources
Case C (2024) Virtual Reality and museum collections: a tool for creating culturally appropriate resources. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)16-18. Carl Case describes the development of a 3D Virtual Reality Museum Tour, based on an exhibition he co-created at Mansfield Museum—Windrush: It Runs Through Us. It is freely available online and has many benefits for ... Read more
Reminiscence/Life Story
Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today: Nurturing relationships through the arts
Schweitzer P (2024) Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today: Nurturing relationships through the arts. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)37-39. Pam Schweitzer describes a typical RYCT session in which trained volunteers welcome and support eight couples to explore key memories through the arts, a process that helps to put their current challenging situations into the context of a ... Read more
Arts
The In Cahoots Collective: towards inspirational practice
Coaten R, Pasiecznik Parsons M, Gill B (2024) The In Cahoots Collective: towards inspirational practice. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)14. Richard Coaten, Maria Pasiecznik Parsons and Bridget Gill describe a dance and movement residency run by an international partnership in West Yorkshire. In Cahoots Collective – moving towards inspirational practice in Creative Health’ International Movement, ... Read more
Research
Research and evaluation: a beginner’s guide
Coaten R, Pasiecznik Parsons M (2024) Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)21-22. Richard Coaten and Maria Pasiecznik Parsons throw light on the often intimidating topics of research and evaluation, explain the difference and give helpful advice to practitioners on evaluating their work. Research and evaluation are two words that can be very off-putting to creative health ... Read more
Arts
The National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) is the UK’s professional association for Activity Providers and activity provision. NAPA’s core mission is to ensure that meaningful activities and person-centred engagement are integral parts of care. In collaboration with key partners in supporting arts initiatives within care settings, NAPA has produced a series of influential reports and ... Read more
Lived Experience
Dementia Diaries – Nov/Dec 2024
This special issue of JDC gives us a great opportunity to showcase a positive vision of life with dementia – the blossoming of creativity, connection and growth that people with dementia have found through the arts. Many diarists and others have told us that at the point of diagnosis, they were basically advised to ‘get ... Read more
Book Review
Book review – Bewick Tales. Journal of Dementia Care 32(6)13. Stories from the life and work of Thomas Bewick By Sarah Laurence Open Ended books is a new imprint of Equal Arts, a leading creative ageing charity supporting older people and those living with dementia in Gateshead, Newcastle and across the UK. The aim of ... Read more
News
This is a brief round-up of the news and resources regularly posted and updated on our website.
New personal care resources for family carers The Association for Dementia Studies (ADS), University of Worcester has launched a series of booklets for family carers supporting someone living with dementia with their personal care. The booklets come from the Crossing the Line research project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The ... Read more
Research
Evidence for practice/Research news
This section aims to keep readers up to date with research in dementia care and the current best evidence to support practice. We aim to provide a channel of two-way communication between researchers and practitioners, so that research findings influence practice and practitioners’ concerns are fed into the research agenda. We welcome contributions such as: ... Read more