Improving Memory through Creativity
A Professional's Guide to Culturally Sensitive Cognitive Training with Older Adults
Published on 21. February 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
192 pages
978-1-84905-953-4 (ISBN)
Description
Creativity stimulates older adults both mentally and emotionally and has numerous cognitive and social benefits. Providing culturally-sensitive strategies for improving memory through creativity, this timely book outlines innovative techniques and gives essential insight into effective clinical work in a world with an increasing number of diverse older adults and incidences of Alzheimer's disease. Amanda Alders Pike clearly explains how to structure sessions and use artistic creativity to improve memory, mood and socialization. She covers everything from how to introduce art materials and techniques, to how to enhance cross-cultural interaction. Graphs, charts, and tables illustrate how artistic creativity can parallel cognitive training to provide optimal benefits to a wide audience of older adults, and accompanying online material is provided for use in sessions and workshops.
Reviews / Votes
This is the book I've been waiting for. With one fell swoop Dr Amanda Pike has answered all the questions I've been asking for over 20 years while developing art programs for older people and observing the remarkable improvement in quality of life as they become absorbed in creative expression. Dr Pike argues her case lucidly and logically. She explores the scientific evidence in depth without overwhelming the reader. An essential handbook for all art facilitators. -- Nancy Tingey, Founder and Coordinator of Painting with Parkinson's, Churchill Fellowship project, 1996 - Art as a Therapy for Parkinson's Art therapy has often been labelled inaccurately in the health profession as a past-time, "arts and crafts" modality. Amanda Alders Pike's well written and promising book sets the record straight. Improving Memory through Creativity demonstrates how art and science come together, and how creativity is an essential component to neural development. An inspiring book that validates the importance of art, memory and quality of life. -- Angel C. Duncan, M.A. MFT, ATR, Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida, and Ambassador for the American Art Therapy Association This book deals with complex neurological concepts around ageing, cognitive impairment and creativity in a very readable way. The theoretical knowledge Amanda presents from her own research and experience, as well as an overview of current thinking is fascinating. Throughout she shows how information might be practically applied, and makes suggestions of how to use this in therapeutic art sessions with older adults. Rather than a recipe book Amanda's ideas are a springboard, I'm really excited to see where they will take me! -- Sarah Crockett, day care officer, activities provider, and author of Activities for Older People in Care Homes: A Handbook for Successful Activity Planning The use of graphs, photographs, charts, art work of participating older people make this book accessible, user friendly and a joy to read. -- Angelika Welzel-Connolly * Journal of Mental Health *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Illustrations
19 b+w figures
Dimensions
Height: 228 mm
Width: 151 mm
Thickness: 2 mm
Weight
286 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84905-953-4 (9781849059534)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Amanda Pike
Improving Memory through Creativity
A Professional's Guide to Culturally Sensitive Cognitive Training with Older Adults
E-Book
02/2014
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
€28.99
Available for download
Person
Amanda Pike has taught internationally on themes related to creative art therapies. She has a Master's degree in Creative Arts Therapy from Nazareth College and a Ph.D. specialising in Art Therapy from Florida State University. Her doctoral research evaluated art therapy as a means of cognitive training and the results demonstrated enhanced cognitive performance among culturally diverse older adults. Currently, Amanda is serving as President of the Florida Art Therapy Association and works as a registered art therapist. She lives in Miami, Florida where she applies her work with clients across the life-span. In addition to clinical work, Amanda provides outcome study consultations and welcomes opportunities for collaboration.
Content
1. Late-Life Creative Self-Expression and Memory. 1.1. How-to-Apply Information Presented within this Text. 1.2. Normal and Abnormal Aging. 1.3. Alzheimer's disease. 1.4. Risk Factors of Memory Loss. 1.5. Mental Stimulation. 1.6. Stress. 1.7. Emotional Stress and Social Isolation. 1.8. Self-Expression in Late-Life. 1.9. Encouraging Mental Stimulation through Expressive Art-Making. 1.10. Incorporating Creativity into Older Adult Identity through Art-Making. 1.11. Creative Behavior. 1.12. Creative Thought. 1.13. Creative Self-Expression. 1.14. Summary. 2. Happiness, Social Creativity, and the Brain. 2.1. Happiness and Creative Self-Expression. 2.2. Elevating Mood during Creative Sessions. 2.3. Bodily/Sensory Pleasures. 2.4. Higher Order Pleasures. 2.5. Gratifications. 2.6. Happiness, Creativity and the Brain. 2.7. Neurotransmitters and Creativity. 2.8. Making Art that Expresses and Enhances Mood. 2.9. Visual Elements, Cognition and Mood. 2.10. Combining Visual Elements for Enhanced Mood. 2.11. Social Equality vs. Stratifications during Creativity and Happiness. 2.12. Summary. 3. Culture, Communication and Art. 3.1. Promoting Socialization during Memory Training. 3.2. Culture. 3.3. Providing Cultural Neutrality. 3.4. Communication. 3.5. Art in Communication. 3.6. Visual Literacy. 3.7. Social Sharing of Meaning through Art. 3.8. Social Roles. 3.9. Increased Socialization through Art. 3.10. Summary. 4. Cognitive Training through Creative Self-Expression. 4.1. Addressing Cognitive Abilities. 4.2 Emotion-Focused Interventions. 4.3. Targeting Cognitive Performance through Creativity. 4.4. Nature of Cognitive Impairment. 4.5. Type of Memory Impacted. 4.6. Short-term Working Memory vs Long-term Memory. 4.7. Cognitive Training. 4.8. Restorative Strategies. 4.9. Compensatory Strategies. 4.10. Expressivity-based Memory Techniques. 4.11. Neurobiology of Creativity and Expressivity. 4.12. Theory: Going Beyond "Recipes". 4.13. Understanding Cerebral Activity in Art-Making. 4.14. Examples of artwork and corresponding ETC. 4.15. Educational vs Therapeutic Frameworks. 4.16. Summary. 5. Understanding Art to Understand the Mind. 5.1. Elements of Successful Sessions. 5.2. Additional Planning for Effective Sessions. 5.3. Rhythmic Structure and Versatility in Directives. 5.3. Outline of Ten-Weeks of Sessions. 5.4. A Single Directive for All Ten-Weeks. 5.5 Concluding the Ten Weeks. 5.6. Summary. 6. Going beyond the Book: Community Collaborations. 6.1. Scope-of-Practice. 6.2. Cultural Trends in Seeking Care. 6.3. Caregivers. 6.4. Inter-Generational Projects. 6.5. Services/Systems of Care across Settings. 6.6. Getting Started. 6.7. Identifying Symptoms Cross-Culturally. 6.8. Organizations. 6.9. Ways to Continue Learning. 6.10. Summary. 6.11. Learning Evaluation Quiz. References.