Real stories

How creative activities can help people with dementia

Creative workshops to help dementia

Our creative workshops aren’t about art therapy. We’re not asking people to process their dementia through art. It’s about encouraging people to enjoy exploring things like identity, curiosity and joy.

Arts for Dementia was founded by Veronica Franklin Gould, after a cellist performed for her mum, who had dementia and had become mostly nonverbal. After hearing the young cellist play, Veronica’s mum suddenly started speaking, asking the cellist questions about her training.

Veronica saw how the music had reached something deep within her mum, and she wanted to know whether other art forms could have a similar impact.

A range of activities to inspire people with dementia

There’s huge value in meaningful activity. We don’t do reminiscence based work, it’s all about what’s happening now. That helps people express themselves in the moment, and still reveal something personal about their interests and tastes. And they’re learning new skills in things like ceramics, pewter casting or mosaics. That confidence in their ability to create is so important, and it’s not about being defined by dementia.

People might not remember what they did half an hour ago, so each step can be its own valuable creative moment.  

For example, we’ve been running a course on animation. It starts with a simple game where one person draws a head, folding it over, the next doing the body. Gradually the group has created characters, then scenes, and next we’ll bring in the animation tech. It’s about breaking things down into simple steps. 

Making creative connections with home life

We sometimes ask people to bring in objects from home to inspire work – like doing a rubbing from a textured item – so their existing world connects with what they’re making.  

In some ways, the process can be liberating because there’s less self-consciousness, less second-guessing. Creativity becomes more spontaneous. And there’s growing interest in this field, both from artists and from arts organisations, especially as creative health becomes more embedded in the NHS and social prescribing expands.

Equality and acceptance for people with dementia

Another important element is that our workshops aren’t framed as the person with dementia being assisted by their carer. They attend together, equally involved. We always have the artist, a staff member, and two volunteers who support where needed, so both the person with dementia and their companion can take part fully. Everyone is an equal partner.

People say their loved ones are talking more, remembering the sessions, or looking forward to the next one.

A key element is community, and all our sessions are dementia specific, so participants know they’re with others going through similar things. That creates an important sense of safety. One participant said, “If I dribble, no one minds.” There’s a powerful acceptance.

Living well and with joy with a dementia diagnosis

We hear anecdotal evidence all the time about the impact. People say their loved ones are talking more, remembering the sessions, or looking forward to the next one.  

People come every week, build friendships, and explore a whole range of art forms. It’s a regular space for joy, creativity and self-expression. A former accountant might discover a love for making musical instruments. And a retired teacher might rediscover their artistic side.

Right now, what we do is about helping people live well. There’s already evidence of improved communication and wellbeing, and we’re really keen to work with academics to explore questions like: are some art forms more suited to certain types of dementia? Do some work better at different stages?

I can’t claim too much about the benefits from a scientific research point of view, even though I’d love to! But there’s no doubt a little fix of joy, self-confidence and self-expression must be good for anyone