Ageing Creatively - a pilot study to explore the relation of creative arts interventions to wellbeing in later life
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Sch of Arts and Cultures
Abstract
Many older people feel that creative arts activities have had a positive impact on their health. Recently, research has focussed on the value and impact of the arts on particular groups of older people; especially those suffering from dementia. The results of these studies, however are primarily anecdotal and lack rigorous methodology; therefore, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about the impact of different arts activities on wellbeing. ?Ageing Creatively? will establish a robust range of methodologies, enabling us to collect meaningful data and evaluate the relative benefits of creative arts interventions on the wellbeing of older people.
There is a need to ask some fundamental questions: can the creative arts really foster a sense of wellbeing, reducing the sense of isolation for many older people? Are there greater benefits from active participation rather than more passive experiences (eg song-writing versus attending a concert)? Are some artforms more effective than others? Are the benefits significantly different from those of other regular social contact? It is vital to achieve greater understanding of the processes and potential therapeutic outcomes of creative activity and especially to evaluate the appropriateness of different methodologies. This is the fundamental aim of the current proposal.
An initial critical literature review will build a comprehensive picture of all previous and relevant research already available in this field. ?Ageing Creatively? will offer value for money by using established infrastructures where appropriate and developing approaches for further research. Different methodological approaches will be examined, building not only on Newcastle University?s own recent experience, but on the latest international research.
Secondly, a series of weekly 2-hour sessions involving groups of around 10 participants aged over 55 and not currently in the workforce will cover three creative areas: creative writing and reading, music (song-writing and concert-going), and fine art (painting/ sculpting and exhibition visits), with a further ?control? group experiencing non-creative activities (eg board games).
?Ageing Creatively? will develop and evaluate the processes and methodologies around a range of creative activities designed to promote mental health and wellbeing in later life which can inform relevant future policy and practice.
There is a need to ask some fundamental questions: can the creative arts really foster a sense of wellbeing, reducing the sense of isolation for many older people? Are there greater benefits from active participation rather than more passive experiences (eg song-writing versus attending a concert)? Are some artforms more effective than others? Are the benefits significantly different from those of other regular social contact? It is vital to achieve greater understanding of the processes and potential therapeutic outcomes of creative activity and especially to evaluate the appropriateness of different methodologies. This is the fundamental aim of the current proposal.
An initial critical literature review will build a comprehensive picture of all previous and relevant research already available in this field. ?Ageing Creatively? will offer value for money by using established infrastructures where appropriate and developing approaches for further research. Different methodological approaches will be examined, building not only on Newcastle University?s own recent experience, but on the latest international research.
Secondly, a series of weekly 2-hour sessions involving groups of around 10 participants aged over 55 and not currently in the workforce will cover three creative areas: creative writing and reading, music (song-writing and concert-going), and fine art (painting/ sculpting and exhibition visits), with a further ?control? group experiencing non-creative activities (eg board games).
?Ageing Creatively? will develop and evaluate the processes and methodologies around a range of creative activities designed to promote mental health and wellbeing in later life which can inform relevant future policy and practice.
Technical Summary
Life expectancy is currently increasing by over two years with every decade, but with this comes the challenge of improving health and wellbeing in later life. The therapeutic use of the creative arts, especially music, poetry and the visual arts, to foster human development and healing has a long history. In recent years, various projects have focussed on the value and impact of the arts to particular groups of older people, especially those suffering from dementia, but the results from many of these studies are primarily anecdotal, lacking a rigorous methodology and systematic analysis. ?Ageing Creatively? will establish a more robust range of methodologies, enabling future research projects to collect meaningful data to evaluate the relative benefits of creative arts interventions on the wellbeing of older people.
There is a need to explore systematically some fundamental research questions: can the creative arts really foster a sense of wellbeing, reducing the sense of isolation for many older people? Are there greater benefits from active participation rather than more passive experiences? Are some creative disciplines more effective than others, and are the benefits significantly different from those of other regular social contact? In order to proceed with this research and identify potential benefits, it is first vital to achieve greater understanding of the processes and potential therapeutic outcomes of creative activity and especially to evaluate the appropriateness of different methodologies in measuring this impact. This is the fundamental aim of this pilot proposal.
An initial critical literature review around the perceived benefits of the creative arts on wellbeing in older people will examine quantitative methodologies alongside more traditional qualitative approaches. This review will draw not only on Newcastle University?s recent relevant experience and a range of methodologies developed within our medical research institutes, but on the latest international research.
Secondly, a series of weekly 2-hour interventions involving groups of around 10 participants aged over 55 and not currently in the workforce will cover three creative areas: creative writing and reading, music (song-writing and concert-going), and fine art (painting/ sculpting and exhibition visits), with a further ?control? group experiencing non-creative activities.
?Ageing Creatively? will develop and evaluate the processes and methodologies around a range of creative interventions designed to promote mental health and wellbeing in later life, exploring cultural and socio-economic markers of quality of life to inform relevant future policy and practice.
There is a need to explore systematically some fundamental research questions: can the creative arts really foster a sense of wellbeing, reducing the sense of isolation for many older people? Are there greater benefits from active participation rather than more passive experiences? Are some creative disciplines more effective than others, and are the benefits significantly different from those of other regular social contact? In order to proceed with this research and identify potential benefits, it is first vital to achieve greater understanding of the processes and potential therapeutic outcomes of creative activity and especially to evaluate the appropriateness of different methodologies in measuring this impact. This is the fundamental aim of this pilot proposal.
An initial critical literature review around the perceived benefits of the creative arts on wellbeing in older people will examine quantitative methodologies alongside more traditional qualitative approaches. This review will draw not only on Newcastle University?s recent relevant experience and a range of methodologies developed within our medical research institutes, but on the latest international research.
Secondly, a series of weekly 2-hour interventions involving groups of around 10 participants aged over 55 and not currently in the workforce will cover three creative areas: creative writing and reading, music (song-writing and concert-going), and fine art (painting/ sculpting and exhibition visits), with a further ?control? group experiencing non-creative activities.
?Ageing Creatively? will develop and evaluate the processes and methodologies around a range of creative interventions designed to promote mental health and wellbeing in later life, exploring cultural and socio-economic markers of quality of life to inform relevant future policy and practice.