CREDIT: AMY SCOTT
Fanshawe, the McCormick Care Foundation and the London Arts Council recently held an event to help raise awareness of the benefits of art therapy programs for those living with dementia.

On Sunday, Nov. 25, McCormick Dementia Services, in collaboration with Fanshawe College’s recreation and leisure services students and London Arts Council held “I’m Still Me – A Journey of Art”. The art show displayed the work and raised awareness of the benefits of an art therapy program for those living with dementia.

Fanshawe’s recreation and leisure services program is designed to educate students in the planning and implementation of special events and programs in a variety of recreational settings, which promotes community development.

The art show was held at McCormick Home, a long-term care home in London.

In attendance were Fanshawe recreation and leisure services students, staff of McCormick Home, artists from the London Arts Council who run the art therapy programs and clients of the art therapy program. The entire room was filled with art made by the clients of the program.

Along with the fine arts program, clients also participate in singing and song writing programs, as well as drama programs, dance and movement programs. Each program runs for 12 weeks. All of the different art forms were showcased at the event through either performance or participation.

“[London Arts Council and Mc- Cormick Dementia Services] have been working on this project for quite some time, and now this is a chance to display the benefits of art therapy,” Courtney Grindon, the marketing head of the event, said.

Grindon is a student in Fanshawe’s recreation and leisure services program and had positives to share about the event.

“There are so many benefits [to art therapy]. Number one being building connections and also leading in with interests. Whatever their past interests are, bringing that into the art is mainly what today is all about,” Grindon said.

Grindon said she believes that those living with dementia are often characterized solely by their disease.

“During this event we not only wanted to showcase the art, but also educate people on dementia, and really express that the disease is just one part of them, they are still a person,” Grindon said.

Each program has one or more instructors from the London Arts Council who teach it.

Tricia Edgar is an instructor of the fine arts program. She said she is very pleased with the program.

“It has been a joy to watch how the process of art-making just can really captivate and built confidence,” Edgar said.

Edgar ran a program called “Memory Montages”, where clients would take photos of their past and use them within their art pieces. Edgar said this helps clients reflect on their most important memories.

David Howard is a client that participates in the “Memory Montage” program. His piece showed a photo of his three grandchildren at the beach, on a beautifully painted blue and brown background. Howard said he “loves the program”.

Joanne Hipwell is the day program manager at McCormick Home.

“I think it’s nice to give [the clients] the opportunity to try something that they have never tried before, to get out and socialize, and to meet people with similar difficulties. Some people have never been artists before and they do very well with it. We try to find the things that they liked to do before and simplify it so that they can still be a part of it. For example, if someone was a woodworker, we find a simplified version so that they can continue to enjoy this activity,” Hipwell said.

Last year, a similar event was held called “Perfection in Perspective”. That art show was so successful that the Government of Ontario awarded a grant to McCormick Home to hold another event this year.