(CB):...If we look at
the four main types of dementia I spoke of earlier, we can see
how different forms of art can play an important role. The
charity Arts 4 Dementia has found that, for those with
Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, participating in
music, dance, visual arts, poetry and drama, and trying new
techniques and art forms, stimulates interest and joy, relieves
anxiety, preserves confidence and improves cognitive functioning.
Some musicians continue
to play for years, artists to paint and dancers to dance. People
with frontotemporal dementia are better able to read words and
music and are more interested in dialogue around pictures and the
mechanics than creating art. musicians and
artists with frontotemporal dementia can often continue to enjoy
singing, playing and painting for years after diagnosis.
Researchers have found that those with Lewy body dementia are
happier to be involved in social arts programmes, poetry and
dressing up than physical drawing, or going to arts events,
galleries, concerts or the theatre rather than performing. For
those with Parkinson’s-related dementia, dance can be helpful...
(Lab):...I am not suggesting
that we do not do music therapy but, speaking with my interest as
an ex-chairman of the Royal College of Music, I say that we have
seen that some of the things we do simply do not work or, if they
do, it is not understood how. One of the things with music
therapy, for example, is that you see individual patients
interacting with somebody else, and it may be that the
interaction is more important than the actual music. For example,
watching musicians play
in person may be better than watching them on a screen or just
listening to music. There is a lot of work that needs to be done
here before we can make big claims...
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