Paint for Your Thoughts: Art Therapy & Dementia
Taylor Thompson
Florida Gulf Coast University
Abstract This research paper consists of talking about how art therapy affects a patient with dementia. Causes of dementia and different types are first discussed, also how dementia comes about. Brief descriptions of the different types of dementia are discussed and why dementia occurs as well. It will mention how patients feel when they are participating in these activities as well as end results. The feelings, communication skills, and thoughts are discussed in this paper. Parts of Diane Waller’s research are mentioned and her thoughts on how art therapy brings light into patients with dementia eye’s.
The struggle that the older generation faces is that with every year they get older, the closer they get to facing elderly issues. These issues can include Parkinson 's Disease, Alzheimer 's, and Dementia. Dementia, being one I am personally familiar with, has many different types. The Oxford dictionary states that the definition of dementia is, "a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning"(Oxford Dict.) The most common cause of dementia comes from Alzheimer 's, and unfortunately there are no permanent cures for patients with dementia (National Inst. on Aging, 2013). Though, there are many practices in the world that
Taylor Thompson
Florida Gulf Coast University
Abstract This research paper consists of talking about how art therapy affects a patient with dementia. Causes of dementia and different types are first discussed, also how dementia comes about. Brief descriptions of the different types of dementia are discussed and why dementia occurs as well. It will mention how patients feel when they are participating in these activities as well as end results. The feelings, communication skills, and thoughts are discussed in this paper. Parts of Diane Waller’s research are mentioned and her thoughts on how art therapy brings light into patients with dementia eye’s.
The struggle that the older generation faces is that with every year they get older, the closer they get to facing elderly issues. These issues can include Parkinson 's Disease, Alzheimer 's, and Dementia. Dementia, being one I am personally familiar with, has many different types. The Oxford dictionary states that the definition of dementia is, "a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning"(Oxford Dict.) The most common cause of dementia comes from Alzheimer 's, and unfortunately there are no permanent cures for patients with dementia (National Inst. on Aging, 2013). Though, there are many practices in the world that