Dementia Arts Trust: art, joy and re-found memories

Through art activities given in care homes and community groups, Dementia Arts Trust has been bringing joy to people living with dementia and their carers for nearly a decade. In this episode, as part of Podcasthon, an initiative to raise awareness for charities worldwide, I chat with trust founders Joanne Robinson and Melissa Haddow about how these art activities build self-esteem, evoke memories and show those living with dementia what they can still accomplish, despite their diagnosis. Joanne and Melissa share poignant stories, like the emotional moment when a participant recalled cherished memories of her daughters while painting, leaving everyone in tears – the happy kind, of course! Joanne and Melissa are keen to share how proud they are of their teachers, who are not just art instructors, but empathetic guides who help individuals connect with their pasts, and that the success of these classes is not just in the art created, but in the connections formed and the human spirit revitalized. Art can have a profound effect on emotional wellbeing, offering experiences that traditional medicine cannot provide, as everyone at Dementia Arts Trust has witnessed time and time again. Visit Dementia Arts Trust here Little Art School at creativityfound.co.uk Join the Creativity Found Collective at creativityfound.co.uk/joinus Instagram: @creativityfoundpodcast Facebook: @creativityfoundpodcast and Creativity Found group YouTube @creativityfoundpodcast Pinterest: @creativityfound Researched, edited and produced by Claire Waite Brown Music: Day Trips by Ketsa Undercover / Ketsa Creative Commons License Free Music Archive - Ketsa - Day Trips Artworks: Emily Portnoi emilyportnoi.co.uk Photo: Ella Pallet Support the show Follow @CreativityFoundPodcast on Instagram Want to be a guest on Creativity Found? Send me a message on PodMatch, here Podcast recorded with Riverside and hosted by Buzzsprout