Art as a bridge to the world
In
accessibility programs for people with dementia, there is another targeted
audience that we should consider. The Rubin Museum of Art in New York describes
their accessibility program Mindful Connections for people with dementia and
their 'caregivers'. In their registration form for the program, the museum asks
not only name of person with dementia but also name of caregiver. There are
some obvious reasons like people who have mental disease always need carers'
help since they are hard to live by themselves. However, we could also think
about caregivers' benefits from the accessibility program.
In the article
new role for art galleries: Art-viewing as a community intervention for family
carers of people with mental problems, the writer said there are three benefits
from the art viewing for carers: Educational dimension, aesthetic dimension,
and psychological dimension. By looking at the art works, they can find some
beauties in art works, so they can get some aesthetic experience. As
educational dimension, they were encouraged to 'seek out further learning'
through viewing art works. With viewing art works, the family carers 'connect
themselves to other sources of beauty' emotionally. Sometimes they connected
their emotions with art works.
Even though caregivers
are not main target of most accessible programs, museums could think about
caregivers' benefits from the accessibility programs since it is possible that
'caregiving role could influence their own mental health'. Art could be a
bridge, which connects socially isolated situation since their caregiver's role
to a normal human being, for the carers. Furthermore, by sharing their opinions
and thoughts, art could be another connection between people with mental health
problems and their caregivers as same participant position. You can find other
museums programs for people with dementia and their caregivers:
- Metropolitan Museum: http://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/programs-for-visitors-with-disabilities/visitors-with-dementia-and-their-care-partners
- National Center for Creative Aging: http://www.creativeaging.org/creative-aging-program/7578
- The American Folk Art Museum: http://www.folkartmuseum.org/disabilities
- Brooklyn Museum: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/calendar/event/5815
1) Rubin museum dementia program "Mindful
connection"
2) New York time article: http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/13/reconnecting-through-art/#more-11843
3)
Article: Samantha Roberts, Paul M. Camic & Neil Springham (2011): New roles
for art galleries: Art-viewing as a community intervention for family carers of
people with mental health problems, Arts & Health: An International Journal
for Research, Policy and Practice, 3:2, 146-159
Thanks Mido, it's good to keep in mind that people with special needs are often not going to be coming to the museum alone. You've pointed out another audience that needs to be embraced. We can use the opportunity to create a space where visitors and their care-givers can grow intellectually and aesthetically, but also grow in their relationship with each other.
ReplyDeleteLori
Mido I think its great how you point out that we often forget about the caregivers when planning programming for people with special needs. As Lori points out we need to embrace this audience, not only as an aid to our visitors with special needs, but as a separate audience in and of itself with their own special needs and wants from the museum.
ReplyDelete