LTC Residenza Anni Azzurri Beato Angelico, Borgo San Lorenzo (FI), Italy
Art-therapy workshop: “The circle of life“, in collaboration with Alamar Life.
Project leaders: Dr. Mabel Gotti and Dr. Melania Menina Marin.
From September to November 2016, three meetings per week were held, each lasting one hour and twenty minutes.
The first phase of the work was characterised by a moment of deep relaxation thanks to the viewing of Experience Nature films, the short sequence of which was looped for 15 minutes. Following the viewing of the films, the work continued with the mandalas to be coloured.
The data reveal a high level of group compliance and many behavioural indicators testify to a high level of satisfaction among the individual participants. The ward staff also enthusiastically welcomed the workshop, appreciating the moment of relaxation through the Experience Nature videos and respecting the relaxed atmosphere that was generated.
The viewing of the videos facilitated a relaxing and meditative atmosphere, helping to create a collaborative climate throughout the session.
We were struck by the respectful silence created spontaneously, which bound caregivers, residents and social educators in a unique feeling, an emotion shared by all that is difficult to explain in words.
We observed that the effect was prolonged beyond the session and in particular a decrease in residents’ behavioural disorders was reported.
CORNELL BROWN – QUALITY OF LIFE
The scale measures the quality of life of people with cognitive and behavioural disorders.
At Time 0, before the experimental phase with the Experience Nature films, the quality of life of the 18 participating subjects recorded a negative average value of -2.17.
At Time 1, at the end of the experiment – 3 months, 3 sessions per week, 15/20 minutes of watching short loop sequences – the quality of life averaged + 15.00.
At Time 2, 15 days after the end of the trial, a session with the Experience Nature films was repeated. The quality of life remained substantially stable, with an average value of 12.50.
CMAI – Scale measuring behaviour disorders
At Time 0, before the experimental phase with the Experience Nature films, the average value of behaviour disorders in the 18 participating subjects was 51.83.
At Time 1, at the end of the experiment, the mean value of behaviour disorders had fallen to 32.00.
At Time 2, 15 days after the end of the trial, a new viewing session showed that the reduction in behaviour disorders had remained substantially unchanged, with an average value of 33.22.
