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Dementia And Alzheimer's: A Case Study

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There are many service users that use social care services and for those who have an interest in creativity and the arts all activities can be adapted to suit their abilities.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s:
Creativity and the arts bring about a non-verbal, interactive way of communication which is helpful to those suffering with dementia. Dementia describes multiple problems that lead to brain cell damage. Some major symptoms of dementia disease are: memory loss, difficulties with language and finding the correct vocabulary to use, problem stringing along and following a conversation. (The Alzheimer Society of Ireland 2012)
For these reasons the arts is a great non-verbal from of communication for the service users suffering with dementia disease. …show more content…
They have been found to stimulate the brain organ and to help regain some memories. It has also been discovered that they can bring language and speech back into the service users’ life who struggles to speak. (Wergerer 2013)
The Elderly:
Therapies like dance movement, drama and art when used recreationally can help improve the positivity, physical and mental health of the elderly social care service users. Engagement with art therapies can further the emotional progression and psychological well-being of these individuals. (Zeltzer et al 2003)
The elderly can enjoy the arts and being creative just as much as service users younger than them. In art for example, water colour painting can be used as a more mature version and method of paining rather than finger painting which can be used for younger service users. Water colour painting is more complex and more of a challenge.
Young children:
There is so much evidence now-a-days about how children’s brains develop and the effect of creativity and the arts on this …show more content…
(Irish Autism Action)
People that suffer with autism find it difficult communicating and creating new relationships with people. Characteristics of communication from an autistic service user would be: they have flat/ limited expressions, rarely spark up or look for conversation, may have little or no speech and uses strange or alien rhythm. (Irish Autism Action)
Integrating creativity and the arts into the life of an autistic service user can have a positive impact on their non-verbal communication and avoids discrimination due to this factor. Art can be expressive, colours for example can be used to communicate feelings and pictures can be used to help an autistic service user indicate what they want/enjoy/aggravates them which is helpful for social care workers.
Some autistic service users experience sensory impairment such as showing panic to particular noises and sometimes appearing deaf. (Irish Autism Action) In these circumstances music can be used to soothe and return the service user back to a calm

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