Arts-Based Interventions in Dementia Care

Arts-based interventions in dementia care encompass a spectrum of creative activities—visual arts, music, dance, theatre and museum engagement—designed to support cognitive function, emotional well-being and social connection. These interventions draw on principles of user-centred design, co-creativity and multisensory stimulation to foster engagement even in advanced stages of cognitive decline. By situating activities in familiar or immersive environments, or by adapting materials and facilitation styles to individual needs, practitioners aim to preserve self-expression, enhance mood and reduce behavioural symptoms without relying on pharmacological treatment. Evidence to date emphasises improvements in attention, pleasure and self-esteem, alongside strengthened relationships between participants, caregivers and professional staff. Practical applications range from weekly art workshops in care homes to digital museum tours tailored to memory support, with growing attention to sustainable models that integrate arts organisations into routine care provision.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have applied immersive user-centred design to museum environments to boost the well-being of people living with dementia. Using focus groups, surveys and interviews, researchers established a cognitive-psychological model based on immersion theory and combined it with structured needs-mining methods to pinpoint the attributes that most effectively stimulate engagement. Virtual reconstructions of familiar scenes and tactile presentations of historical objects were found to increase subjective well-being and break the limitations of designer-led experiences. These findings establish a framework for evaluating and optimising immersive cultural programmes as viable cognitive and emotional interventions for older adults with dementia.

Arts-Based Interventions in Dementia Care publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in arts-based interventions in dementia care across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Immersive experience: A simulated or enhanced environment that engages multiple senses to promote deep user involvement and emotional presence.

Interprofessional collaboration: A coordinated approach in which professionals from different disciplines work together to design and deliver integrated care.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms: Behavioural and psychological disturbances common in dementia, including agitation, apathy and mood changes.

Non-pharmacological intervention: Therapeutic methods that do not involve medication, focusing instead on psychosocial, behavioural or environmental strategies.

References

1. Immersive experiences in museums for elderly with cognitive disorders: a user-centered design approach. Scientific Reports (2024).
2. Sustainable Creative Practice with Older People: A Collaborative Approach between Arts and Care Sectors. Sustainability (2024).
3. “Art, Colors, and Emotions” Treatment (ACE-t): A Pilot Study on the Efficacy of an Art-Based Intervention for People With Alzheimer’s Disease. Frontiers in Psychology (2020).
4. Enhancing communication between dementia care staff and their residents: an arts-inspired intervention. Aging & Mental Health (2019).