Dementia and the Arts: Sharing Practice, Developing Understanding and Enhancing Lives (FutureLearn)

Each of the four weeks will showcase current best practice, explain the limits of our current understanding, and set ambitious goals for enhancing the lives of anyone affected by one of these conditions.

Syllabus

Week 1: Seeing the dementias differently through the arts and seeing the arts differently through the dementias

Week 2: How can moments be understood, experienced and measured?

Week 3: Creating Common Ground: The Arts, Equality and Dementia

Week 4: Language & Communication: How can we change the conversation?

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Explore the emerging landscape for dementias and the arts in which artistic and cultural interventions are now being acknowledged

- Reflect upon a variety of arts-based communication strategies that can be employed to engage with people living with dementias

- Develop a qualitative appreciation of the value of ‘in the moment’ experiences

- Reflect upon the worth of scientific research in bridging clinical sciences and arts-based practices to further our ability to care for people living with dementias

- Describe the value of creating common ground, and the associated importance of shared experiences, co-creativity and equality

- Investigate the role of language and communication on the perception of dementias

- Apply knowledge to model a broader understanding of the lived experiences of people living with dementias

Who is the course for?

This course is for people interested in dementia care. You might be living with a dementia, helping to care or support someone who is, are an artist or healthcare practitioner currently working or thinking about working in the dementia and arts field, or a student, researcher or commissioner trying to understand the role of arts-based practices in dementia care.