Network
The Symposium is the first meeting of the Thriving Together Network, and a portion of the time will be devoted to addressing the needs and barriers that researchers, community partners and people with lived experience of dementia face when developing or presenting arts activities from a relational perspective.
The Symposium is the first meeting of the Thriving Together Network, and a portion of the time will be devoted to addressing the needs and barriers that researchers, community partners and people with lived experience of dementia face when developing or presenting arts activities from a relational perspective.
The aims of the network are also to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations and discussions building on recent pivotal topical research, examining how a relational perspective might provide improved benefits in dementia care.
The aims of the network are also to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations and discussions building on recent pivotal topical research, examining how a relational perspective might provide improved benefits in dementia care.
If you would like to join the network but will be unable to attend the symposium, please register and choose: "Unable to attend, but want more information about the network."
If you would like to join the network but will be unable to attend the symposium, please register and choose: "Unable to attend, but want more information about the network."
Motivation:
Motivation:
The creation of this network is motivated by the fact that much of the work for people living with dementia, including arts interventions, frequently has a medicalised “disease and cure” focus, particularly aimed at the person with dementia on their own, with far too little consideration given to the role of carers and the broader ecosystem in which the activity takes place. When the partner is considered, this is usually done separately, which does not build upon the relationship's existing strengths or the ways the couple navigates everyday life together. This restricted focus marginalises the experiences of individuals and couples, contributing to problematic disease narratives that reduce the person with dementia to their diagnosis, perpetuating stigma and leading to social exclusion.
The creation of this network is motivated by the fact that much of the work for people living with dementia, including arts interventions, frequently has a medicalised “disease and cure” focus, particularly aimed at the person with dementia on their own, with far too little consideration given to the role of carers and the broader ecosystem in which the activity takes place. When the partner is considered, this is usually done separately, which does not build upon the relationship's existing strengths or the ways the couple navigates everyday life together. This restricted focus marginalises the experiences of individuals and couples, contributing to problematic disease narratives that reduce the person with dementia to their diagnosis, perpetuating stigma and leading to social exclusion.
We propose that arts interventions may provide additional benefits for couples living with dementia if they allow the couples to sometimes take on a we-perspective and to build on top of their existing collaborative practice. Integrating these affordances could also help us better understand how arts interventions can help couples living with dementia overcome communication challenges and increase their opportunities to connect with one another.
We propose that arts interventions may provide additional benefits for couples living with dementia if they allow the couples to sometimes take on a we-perspective and to build on top of their existing collaborative practice. Integrating these affordances could also help us better understand how arts interventions can help couples living with dementia overcome communication challenges and increase their opportunities to connect with one another.