Research

Proven results. In 2010, the creators of the “Discover Your Story” program at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts wanted to evaluate their program outcomes. They worked with Dr. Joseph E. Gaugler, an Associate Professor and McKnight Presidential Fellow in the School of Nursing and Center on Aging at The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Below is the research paper they authored that offers analysis and evidence of the positive impact of creative engagement on memory loss caregivers and their partners.

memorylosspaper2

 

“The specialized tours resulted in a proactive approach to living with memory loss that involved increased engagement, stimulation, and sharing of personal stories.”
-Dr. Joseph Gaugler & Sheila McGuire

 

 

 

 

 

Research has shown that art therapy can positively impact Alzheimer’s patients. Art gives them a language of pictures when words fail them. Images trigger memories that may have been buried under disease debris. Because the visual cortex remains active in the brain even after verbal communication is diminished, viewing familiar images assists those suffering from Alzheimer’s to remember how to communicate.
– Stacey Hudson, “Memory Served,” Metro Spirit, September 26, 2007