http://brainfitnessnow.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/of-art-alzheimers-neuroplasticity/ Tips for Brain Health and Successful Aging Fri, 07 May 2010 16:28:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://brainfitnessnow.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/of-art-alzheimers-neuroplasticity/#comment-203 Ruth Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:50:29 +0000 http://brainfitnessnow.wordpress.com/?p=447#comment-203 I agree with your maybe, or maybe not. Andt I'll share a story with you. In my work as an art therapist for Alzheimer's patients, I have sometimes persuaded patients to come into the art room, even though they are gazing passively into the distance, playing with objects in an absent minded way and reluctant to join the group. I nearly gave up on one such lady who was extremely overweight and found movement difficult. But I persevered and she clung onto my arm as we walked hand in hand to the art room where she drew a beautiful bird with wings drooping downwards. "He cant fly," she said, and I guess that she might have expressed her own tiredness and immobility and also her desire to be a bird. She was certainly happier when she left the room smiling, than she was when she came in. That in itself is a gift to an Alzheimer's patient. I have more such examples of the power of art therapy in my book "When Words Have Lost Their Meaning: Alzheimer's Patients Communicate Through Art." Greenwood Press 2005. http://www.alzheimersart.com/ Blog http://ruthabraham.wordpress.com In the book I give examples of the sort of art materials that are appropriate, ideas for artwork, ways of responding appropriately to people's creative acts, no matter how simple they seem. I agree with your maybe, or maybe not. Andt I’ll share a story with you. In my work as an art therapist for Alzheimer’s patients, I have sometimes persuaded patients to come into the art room, even though they are gazing passively into the distance, playing with objects in an absent minded way and reluctant to join the group. I nearly gave up on one such lady who was extremely overweight and found movement difficult. But I persevered and she clung onto my arm as we walked hand in hand to the art room where she drew a beautiful bird with wings drooping downwards. “He cant fly,” she said, and I guess that she might have expressed her own tiredness and immobility and also her desire to be a bird.
She was certainly happier when she left the room smiling, than she was when she came in. That in itself is a gift to an Alzheimer’s patient.
I have more such examples of the power of art therapy in my book “When Words Have Lost Their Meaning: Alzheimer’s Patients Communicate Through Art.” Greenwood Press 2005.
http://www.alzheimersart.com/
Blog
http://ruthabraham.wordpress.com
In the book I give examples of the sort of art materials that are appropriate, ideas for artwork, ways of responding appropriately to people’s creative acts, no matter how simple they seem.

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