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Art is Healing in a new Collaboration Between Florida Hospital and Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Art is healing for dementia patients and their caregivers in a new study from Florida Hospital. Photo: Flickr Creative Commons

A research team at Florida Hospital wants to see if classical theatrical training can help patients with dementia and their caregivers become more resilient. Staff at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will train more than 100 pairs of patients and caregivers in scene work, movement exercises, and improv for eight weeks starting in October. Dr. Darby Morhadt has run a similar program at Northwestern University for the past eight years where she’s noticed:

“Anxiety is lessened there’s a sense of community that is built. A sense of belonging a cultivation of success and they carry that with them. They carry those skills with them.”

 The team at Florida Hospital has a theory that they will also detect lower stress levels in patients through cheek swabs and questionnaires they collect. People interested in participating in the study can get more information onthe following website.

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Danielle Prieur is WMFE's education reporter.