In selecting materials for the activities, the museum also considered whether they were easy to use, especially for drawing or moulding.
“These are very simple exercises that a person with dementia who may be having some kind of (difficulty with) fine motor skills, if they find it challenging to use their hands, it’s still very simple for them to do,” said Ms Alicia Teng, assistant director of community and access at the National Gallery.
“We realise that through this art engagement, it actually supports them in terms of exercising their hands and refining their fine motor skills.”
Ms Teng added: “We also want to make sure that we work with a group size that is optimal in terms of the attention span, and also the kind of focus the volunteers can have in engaging with persons living with dementia.”
When there are not enough volunteers, caregivers can step in.
For instance, visitors to the National Gallery can pick up a bag of art materials and a caregiver’s guide. They come with prompting questions and instructions for activities similar to those done during the group sessions.
The idea is to build up the confidence of the caregivers, so that they can still conduct these activities, even when volunteers are not there to guide them.
SAFE ENVIRONMENT
Dementia Singapore said it supports turning community spaces like museums into safe environments for dementia patients, as rising cases pile more pressure on hospitals and clinics.
However, it noted that change must go beyond programming.
