Participatory community-based arts for older people living with dementia in the community: how are they evaluated? A scoping review

Abstract

Although the interests in participative arts for people living with a dementia has increased over the last decade, what is yet to be reviewed is how participatory community- based arts activities for this group of people are evaluated. The overall aim of the following scoping review is to understand the scope of measurement/evaluation methods/approaches used in studies that recruited participants with dementia from the community (not from health/clinical or residential aged care settings or nursing homes) and delivered community-based participatory arts activities/programs (not art therapy programs) to them. The methodological framework by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) for undertaking a scoping review article was applied to this study. Collation, summarizing and reporting the results was carried out considering the research questions. 7 articles met inclusion/exclusion criteria published from 2013 to 2020. The type of arts activities included co-designs and co-creation of various types of arts (n=1), museum visiting and art-making activities (n=4), artistic education-based program (n=1), group singing (n=1). This scoping review shed light on the paucity of research in which older people living with dementia were recruited from the community (not healthcare/clinical settings) to participate in participatory community- based art activities. Also, the results revealed that evaluation of participatory community-based arts activities for older people living with dementia in the community should include methods/techniques to get a deeper insight into the participants’ values and perspectives and the social interaction benefits of such programs.

Dementia Friendly Care: Methods to Improve Stakeholder Engagement and Decision Making

“…40 The context where the person lives is also important; creating environments that maximize opportunities for participation has been the focus of hospital-based research, 36,41 while methods to involve people living in care homes also pose distinct challenges. 32,33 Creative methods have been proposed in earlier reviews, 15,16 and our review found two particular examples of group work using creative methods, 25,28 bearing out the potential of this approach. However, other approaches, such as education interventions, are also another way of providing the tools to promote inclusion and dementia friendly outcomes as was argued by Hebert and Scales.…”

“…Creative methods have been proposed in earlier reviews, 15 , 16 and our review found two particular examples of group work using creative methods, 25 , 28 bearing out the potential of this approach. However, other approaches, such as education interventions, are also another way of providing the tools to promote inclusion and dementia friendly outcomes as was argued by Hebert and Scales.…”

“…Thus, a key element of dementia friendly care is both recognizing the individual agency and strategies people with the diagnosis employ to achieve DF outcomes, but also the critical role others have in supporting this process. A scoping review 15 demonstrates the possibilities, as yet under-researched and difficult to evaluate, that engaging in the arts may have for achieving what would be broadly aligned with “DF” outcomes for those living with dementia via social inclusion and connection.…”