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- Creators: School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Description
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are a growing issue in the United States. While medical experts try to develop treatments or a cure, what are we as a society to do in the meantime to help those living with Alzheimer's? The arts seem to be an answer. In this thesis, I highlight numerous programs already in place across the United States that utilize the visual, musical, and dramatic arts to give people with Alzheimer's an avenue for expression, a connection to the world around them, as well as a better quality of life. I address the largely positive impact these arts engagement programs have on caregivers and their perceptions of their loved ones. I discuss what it means to have narrative identity and personhood in the midst of a disease that appears to strip those things away. Finally, I share my own experiences creatively engaging with residents at a local memory care facility and what those experiences demonstrated with regard to narrative, being, and Self. The examination of material and experiences demonstrates that art taps into innate parts of human beings that science is unable to touch or treat; however, the reverse is also true for science. When faced with an issue as complex as Alzheimer's disease, art and science are strongest together, and I believe the cure to Alzheimer's lies in this unity. In the meantime, we must utilize the arts to validate the Selves of and improve the quality of life for our growing Alzheimer's population.
ContributorsSpeight, Gemma (Author) / Gruber, Diane (Thesis director) / Manninen, Bertha (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Dementia is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure at the present time. Patients with dementia and age-related disorders experience neuropsychiatric symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and other difficult to handle behaviors (Peipert et al., 2018). Due to the staggering cost of hiring in-home help or placing their loved ones in a memory care facility, many Americans choose to care for their loved one at home. Unfortunately, this undertaking can impact the caregiver’s emotional and mental health, financial situation, and social life (Peipert et al., 2018). Psychosocial interventions, ranging from social support to therapy, have been shown to be incredibly effective in improving dementia caregiver mental health. One such psychosocial intervention is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps the individual adapt more effective thinking patterns in order to improve their coping skills (Kwon et al., 2017). CBT combines cognitive theory and behavioral theory to explain how our thoughts and feelings directly impact the severity of a situation. In cognitive theory, it is our interpretation of the events that happen to us that is the root of our emotions, not the events themselves. The relationship between our interpretation and our emotions is known as the ABC model (Sorocco & Lauderdale, 2011). In this paper, several relevant studies researching the impacts of CBT on family dementia caregiver stress and burden are assessed and reviewed. A comprehensive, tentative CBT plan for family dementia caregivers is included and proposed.
ContributorsVan Duine, Kelly Nicole (Author) / Infurna, Frank (Thesis director) / Baker, Zach (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2024-05