A pilot study using a visual art intervention to support the well-being of elderly people living in residential care home

Abstract

As people age, interventions that promote emotional well-being and cognitive function become essential, especially for people with potential cognitive decline in residential healthcare facilities. Art-based interventions, particularly Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), have solid evidence for promoting observation and listening skills, and activating specific neural areas for problem-solving and critical thinking. Furthermore, several studies have also shown that those involved in these activities reduce anxiety and stress in both educational and nursing settings. We therefore aimed to apply these activities to elderly people living in a nursing home to verify improvements in well-being, anxiety, and cognitive decline. This study piloted a 4-session program that used a facilitated, guided discussion of the VTS method, presenting images of artworks to assess the impact on measures of emotional well-being and self-esteem, and to obtain feedback from participants on their experience using the VTS Skill Grid and the PANAS questionnaire. The results indicated that VTS activities were well accepted by participants, and the impact recorded in terms of both cognitive experience and anxiety reduction was very positive. These findings suggest the possibility of using this method and other artistic practices to promote cognitive, relational, and emotional skills in people at risk of cognitive decline, loneliness, and depression.