Library Research - Books

As the LCA library is a specialist arts library, there is predictably very few books that are relevant to the subject I am researching; a few on arts therapies, but they are mainly written on psychological issues such as depression, which is not what I want to focus on. I found a few small pieces relating to dementia but I will have to find another library with a more extensive science and psychology collection to get as many book references as possible (Leeds University or Leeds Beckett University libraries? I will have to find out how I can access them). 

Summary and ideas:

• If someone develops an interest or skill for/within the arts after diagnosis of dementia, it should be encouraged and given a positive focus. It gives the sufferer an outlet, provides an arena in which they can function effectively and something they are good at, when they may be unable to do things they enjoyed or were good at before. 

• Art therapies will not help with curing or slowing down the progression of dementia, but can help with reducing the negative psychological effects associated with the disease. There are many recorded cases of art therapy reducing stress, anxiety, antisocial behaviour, communication problems and other issues. 

• Quality of life is a factor that is heavily focused on and repeatedly mentioned when arguing the positive outcomes of creative therapy for dementia sufferers. This will probably be a major part of the final essay!

• With creative therapies it needs to be taken into account what area of the brain is affected, as some therapies may not work for some that do well for others; for example, music therapy might be a better option for someone who has lost the use of the muscles in their hands. 

• Offers a non-verbal assessment and communication option for sufferers who are language impaired and don't want to/can no longer speak as they used to.