Art can provide a way for people with dementia to express themselves even after their memories and words have begun to fade away. Artistic activities give residents an outlet for emotional responses and can boost their self-esteem, help them relax, reduce their isolation and increase their attention span.“For people with dementia, verbal interactions may remain at the level of ‘social niceties only,’ but art mixes tactile activities with emotion, engaging neuropathological pathways in a different way,” says Michele Tarsitano-Amato, director of creative arts and a therapy/dementia specialist at Kendal at Oberlin, a continuing care retirement community in Oberlin, Ohio. “It lets them go deeper and can be a bridge to social interactions and allow them to engage and contribute.”

Article written by Beth Thomas Hertz and published in Long Term Living on March 14, 2016 

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