Treating Dementia With Creative Expression

Creative art therapy can be a boon for people with dementia, reports the Epoch Times . For example, art therapy exposes people to imagery and self-awareness, with participants working with paints and clay. Drama therapy employs performance, role-playing, and improvisation to recreate memories, encourage problem-solving, and cause social skills to resurface. Dance-movement therapy engages rhythm and body gesture, helping to integrate the mind and spirit as well as facilitate nonverbal communication. Music therapy can help ground worried participants, allow tension to be tolerated, and make emotional expression easier. Research has demonstrated that participation in art therapy can lead to significant improvements in mood and cognition, which persist long after the sessions have concluded.