Crafting Life Stories in Photocollage: An Online Creative Art-Based Intervention for Older Adults

Creative arts therapies (CAT) provide a safe and creative environment for older adults to process life experiences and maintain personal growth while aging. There is a growing need to make creative arts therapies more accessible to the aging population, as many have limited access to these services. This need has been catalyzed by the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tele-CAT offers a possible solution. This study explored the experiences of older adults who participated in an online creative process of digital photocollage based on CAT. Twenty-four Italian and Israeli community-dwelling older adults aged 78 to 92 participated in this research through Zoom teleconferencing software. Transcriptions of the sessions and the art produced through the photocollage were qualitatively analyzed through Thematic Analysis. The findings show that the projective stimuli of digital photographs supported older adults’ narratives and engaged them in a more embodied emotional experience. Participant experiences involved artistic enjoyment within a positive and safe interaction with therapists. The creation of digital photocollages allowed the participants to process their life experiences and create an integrative view of their life, a vital developmental task in late life. These results point to the advantages and challenges of tele-CAT for older adults.

A Case Study on the Sri Lankan English Language Learner in the field of Creative Arts

This article reports the findings of a study that investigated the attitudes of creative arts undergraduates and the attitudes and perception of English as a second language (ESL) teachers from different faculties in three Sri Lankan universities about the motivation and proficiency of their students. Employing a qualitative approach in which a 20-item 6- point Likert scale questionnaire and eight (8) item online questionnaire served as the instuments respectively for randomly selected 25 students and the 10 ESL teachers. The results of the study revealed that the undergraduates were aware of the role played by the English language in terms of the potential utility,importance of learning and the potential impact on their future employment.According to the data analysis,the undergraduates in the faculties of medicine and science are motivated than their counterparts in the faculty of creative arts.Differenciations were observerd in terms of independent thinking, enthusiasm for classroom tasks and critical thinking between the same.

Creative Vision and Creative Arts: Significations and Metaphors of Keys in Alex Idoko’s Symbolist Arts

Artistic symbols in many ways act as complimentary narrative tools that elevate and define the message from the artist, which can help to generate efficacious consciousness and mood aggregation in the beholders. The purpose of this study is to deepen the appreciation of the embedded significances of keys as symbolic objects in selected symbolist art by Alex Idoko which represents variously, mystical attributions and significations as understood within different worldviews. Through the application of interpretive discuss approach in relating relevant concepts of symbolism, the study elucidates on the symbolical, mythological, mystical and metaphorical denotations and attributions of chains, padlock and keys in line with Victor Turner’s concept of operational, exegetical and positional meanings. In the end, we observe that the selected work by Idoko subsume deep and dense creative vision projecting deliberate effort in using art as a means of sharing cultural ideas, mystifying aesthetics, propelling curiosity, and mood/emotion intensity.

Brain-Computer Interfaces and Creative Expression: Interface Considerations for Rehabilitative and Therapeutic Interactions

By translating brain signals into new kinds of outputs, Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) systems hold tremendous potential as both transformative rehabilitation and communication tools. BCIs can be considered a unique technology, in that they are able to provide a direct link between the brain and the external environment. By affording users with opportunities for communication and self-expression, BCI systems serve as a bridge between abled-bodied and disabled users, in turn reducing existing barriers between these groups. This perspective piece explores the complex shifting relationship between neuroadaptive systems and humans by foregrounding personal experience and embodied interaction as concepts through which to evaluate digital environments cultivated through the design of BCI interfaces. To underscore the importance of fostering human-centered experiences through technologically mediated interactions, this work offers a conceptual framework through which the rehabilitative and therapeutic possibilities of BCI user-system engagement could be furthered. By inviting somatic analysis towards the design of BCI interfaces and incorporating tenets of creative arts therapies practices into hybrid navigation paradigms for self-expressive applications, this work highlights the need for examining individual technological interactions as sites with meaning-making potentiality, as well as those conceived through unique exchanges based on user-specific needs for communication. Designing BCI interfaces in ways that afford users with increased options for navigation, as well as with the ability to share subjective and collective experiences, helps to redefine existing boundaries of digital and physical user-system interactions and encourages the reimagining of these systems as novel digital health tools for recovery.

Impact of using creative arts programming to support HIV treatment in adolescents and young adults in Eswatini

Background In 2018, approximately 1.6 million adolescents (aged 10–19) were living with HIV worldwide, with the highest HIV prevalence found in Eswatini. Adolescents and young adults living with HIV are a vulnerable population due to unique psychosocial challenges that come with having a stigmatizing disease. This group struggles more than other age-groups with medication adherence and requires novel approaches to supporting treatment, including peer-group encouragement, and self-expression. Methods We piloted a theater camp for a group of adolescents and young adults enrolled at our HIV clinic in Mbabane, Eswatini, to determine the impact of having an outlet for creative expression and peer support on treatment and feelings of stigma. Pre- and post-camp surveys were administered to the participants to assess perceived stigma and impact of the camp. The results were analyzed using a Wilcoxon-signed rank test. Results Twenty individuals (ages 12–23) living with HIV participated in the camp concurrently with standard treatment. 25% showed a substantial decrease in viral load within six months of completing the camp (> 0.1 log10 change) while only 10% showed a substantial increase. Those who completed the survey felt the camp helped them with confidence, teamwork, and friendships. A comparison of pre- and post- surveys showed an overall decrease in personalized stigma. Quotes from participants reinforced these results. Conclusions Adolescents and young adults living with HIV are an important population for further program development. Our study showed creative arts programming has beneficial psychosocial effects, aids in community building, and potentially enhances the effectiveness of medical treatment. Further programs and studies should continue to investigate creative arts as an avenue for self-expression and community building among vulnerable populations.

Creative Arts-Based Approaches to Improve the Well-Being of Older Adults

As older adults age they may face cognitive impairment, disruption in their sleep, and a decrease in mood and overall well-being. Given the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, they may experience a disruption in their access to health care services. Creative arts-based approaches have shown promise in improving the well-being of older adults and may be helpful in augmenting health care services. In this symposium, we will present research results of creative arts-based interventions aimed at improving the well-being of older adults, including those with dementia. We will also discuss ways to successfully engage with organizations that serve older adults using arts-based interventions. The first presentation will focus on the results from a feasibility randomized controlled trial examining the effects of a tailored music listening intervention on sleep outcomes in older adults living with dementia and their caregivers. The second presentation will report findings from the Mason Music & Memory Initiative aiming to improve mood and behavioral outcomes in persons living with dementia in nursing homes. The third presentation will focus on the preliminary results of a pilot study that integrated the delivery of music therapy telehealth with remote social work support and service linkage for rural older adults from low-income areas. The fourth presentation will report findings from the capacity-building program for teaching artists, health/aging organizations, and arts organizations committed to strengthening Creative Aging efforts through research. Implications for future research and creative arts-based intervention development for older adults will be discussed.