Museum object handling groups in older adult mental health inpatient care

Abstract

Purpose: Emerging evidence indicates that museum object handling sessions offer short-term benefits to healthcare participants. This study aimed to further understand psychological and social aspects of object handling in mental health inpatients .Design: Older adults (N = 42) from a psychiatric inpatient ward with diagnoses of depression or anxiety took part in a series of object handling group sessions with 5-12 participants per group. Session audio recordings were subjected to thematic analysis.Findings: Five main themes were identified: "responding to object focused questions", "learning about objects and from each other", "enjoyment, enrichment through touch and privilege", "memories, personal associations and identity" and "imagination and storytelling". The first four were congruent with literature associated with positive wellbeing and engagement outcomes but the fifth was a new finding for group contexts.Research implications: Limitations include the relatively small sample and variable week-toweek group attendance. Audio recordings did not provide information on non-verbal communication and how objects were handled. Future studies should control for attendance and examine effects of multiple sessions over time, ideally with video recording. Originality: This study offers preliminary support for museum object handling as a group intervention in mental health care with potential to develop therapeutic aspects of the sessions. Findings indicate that object handling is a novel yet effective intervention with potential for conferring additional advantages by conducting sessions in group settings.

Dementia-friendly heritage settings: a research review

“…Roe et al (2016) (2009)), six take place in hospital or care settings (i.e. Solway et al (2015), Zeilig et al (2014), Thomson et al (2012a), Thomson et al (2012b), Ander et al (2012) and Lanceley et al (2012)), and one in an independent living community facility (i.e Smiraglia (2015)). None of the projects is delivered in a heritage setting.…”

“…Of the sixteen evaluation studies, eight studies employ qualitative methods (i.e Roe et al (2016), Camic et al (2015), Solway et al (2015), Ander et al (2013), National Museams Liverpool (2012), Ander et al (2012), Lanceley et al (2012) and Roberts et al (2011)), and an equal number of studies states that they deploy mixed methods in their evaluation (i.e. Flatt et al (2015), Smiraglia (2015), Camic et al (2014), Eekelaar et al (2012), Thomson et al (2012a), Thomson et al (2012b), MacPherson et al (2009) andMittleman &Epstein (2009)).…”

“…This study also stressed that the museum object handling sessions provided both 'stimulation and distraction,' for participants, both of which are extremely significant for wellbeing. It has been observed that that during heritage-object handling sessions, people with impairments, with staff support, were able to engage with the object at various levels, including in a creative manner, and to consider what their disease meant to them (i.e Solway et al (2015) and National Museams Liverpool (2012)). The skills of people with dementia should not be underestimated while designing these sessions.…”

“…There is often an over emphasis on their difficulties and problems rather than focussing on their actual abilities. If the sessions are not designed appropriately they could lead to disengagement of the participant (Solway et al (2015)). Two studies suggested that in order to provide better opportunities for participants, the number of participants attending a particular session should be purposely small (i.e.…”

Arts, health & wellbeing: reflections on a national seminar series and building a UK research network

“…The first randomised controlled trial of community singing for a broad cross section of older people (60+) living independently has recently been completed (Coulton, Clift, Skingley, & Rodriguez, 2015; Skingley, Martin, & Clift, 2015). Engagement with visual arts and museum/gallery-based community research with young people, and working-age adults, older adults and those with dementia have all demonstrated benefits (Alcock, Camic, & Barker, 2011; Camic, 2008, 2010; Roberts & Camic, 2011; Solway, Camic, Thomson, & Chatterjee, 2015; Solway, Thomson, Camic, & Chatterjee, 2015; Young, Camic, & Tischler, 2015). Research with new mothers and older women has also explored life transitions and wellbeing though arts engagement (Hogan, 2015b; Hogan, Baker, Cornish, McCloskey, & Watts, 2015; Hogan & Warren, 2012, 2013).…”