ALLEGANY, N.Y. — When dementia or Alzheimer’s disease strikes, the victim not only loses his or her memory, senses, judgement and speech, but also loses self-esteem.
The Memories in the Making art class, provided Friday to area activities directors and staff at nursing homes and assisted living facilities, was conducted at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse on East Main Street in Allegany. The four-hour class was taught by Andrea Koch of the Alzheimer’s Association, Western New York Chapter, from Buffalo.
Koch, who studied art therapy, said the program has been provided by the Western New York Chapter since 2000 and has been beneficial to many individuals in area residential care facilities. She said various Alzheimer’s Association chapters around the country offer the Memories art program a couple of times a year to facilitators, who earn certification in the skill.
She said the program goes beyond art and helps people with dementia, or its prevalent subgroup, Alzheimer’s disease, in many ways.
“This provides people with a different form of communication,” Koch told the group. “Folks who have dementia … may have a whole elaborate story behind” their art to share.
She said the art program also helps people with dementia in another important aspect.
“Oftentimes it can increase a person’s self-esteem through creating something that has value,” Koch said. “People who live in facilities have suffered a lot of losses. Their roles in life and sense of self that comes from those roles are lost.”
She said the dementia patient’s new role of creating art, some of it quite beautiful, helps the individual realize their self-worth. Koch said some facilities that conduct the program display the artwork to further increase the individual’s pride and sense of accomplishment.
“It’s also great sensory stimulation, too, which can be a really great way to engage people,” she continued.
Koch told the group that the difference between the Memories art program from regular arts and craft groups is that “the focus is on the process, not the finished product.”
“We’re not teaching people to become professional artists, we’re not teaching them techniques taught in an art school … instead it’s very non-judgmental, it’s experimenting and playing.”
Following her commentary, which included an overview of dementia in its various stages, Koch set up tables with paper, watercolors, brushes and other tools needed to teach the classes effectively.
Facilitators who commented on the class included staff with St. Elizabeth Motherhouse, which welcomed the program as the facility has a number of elderly Franciscan Sisters of Allegany with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Monica Austin, director of activities at the Motherhouse, said she and her staff hope to incorporate some of the art skills learned in the class at the facility.
“Maybe we’ll have an art exhibit, but not an auction, to show off some of the different things we do,” Austin said. Others staff members who attended from the Motherhouse included Sister Maria Kratz, Debbie Mohr, Haley Majot and Pam Winsor.
Dottie Koch, activities director of The Pines Healthcare and Rehab Center in Olean, said her facility provides arts and crafts for its residents, but believes the Memories art program will be helpful. She is not related to Andrea Koch.
“I really think it will be beneficial for some of the residents who need something to do that has meaning and purpose in their life,” Koch said. “It sounds like it will be good because they can make whatever (they want) and that’s OK. There’s no guidelines and no structure, so it will make them feel worthy.”
Lisa Piazza of Brookdale Lakewood Senior Living Solutions in Lakewood said her facility currently works with an artist on a similar program, but is eager to start the Memories art classes.
“This really is engaging to have (the patients) participate” in art, Piazza said of the program. “It’s very rewarding, and we will display” the art.
For more information on the program, contact Koch by email at at akoch@alz.org.
