Ageing Creatively - a pilot study to explore the relation of creative arts interventions to wellbeing in later life

许多老年人认为，创造性的艺术活动对他们的健康有积极的影响。最近，研究集中在艺术对特定老年人群体的价值和影响，特别是那些患有痴呆症的人。然而，这些研究的结果主要是轶事，缺乏严格的方法；因此，很难就不同的艺术活动对幸福感的影响得出确切的结论。？创造性地变老？将建立一系列强有力的方法，使我们能够收集有意义的数据，并评估创意艺术干预对老年人健康的相对好处。有必要问一些基本的问题：创意艺术真的能培养幸福感，减少许多老年人的孤立感吗？主动参与比被动体验(例如，写歌比听演唱会)有更大的好处吗？是不是有些艺术形式比其他的更有效？这种好处与其他常规社交方式有显著不同吗？重要的是要更好地了解创造性活动的过程和潜在的治疗结果，特别是评估不同方法的适当性。这是目前提议的基本目的。最初的批判性文献回顾将建立一个全面的图景，所有先前和相关的研究已在该领域可用。？创造性地变老？将提供物有所值的资金，在适当情况下使用现有的基础设施，并为进一步的研究开发方法。不同的方法论方法将被检验，不仅建立在纽卡斯尔大学S自己最近的经验之上，而且建立在最新的国际研究之上。其次，每周两小时的一系列会议将涉及三个创意领域：创意写作和阅读、音乐(写歌和去听音乐会)和美术(绘画/雕塑和参观展览)，还有进一步的？控制？体验非创造性活动(如棋类游戏)的团体。？创造性地变老？将围绕旨在促进晚年精神健康和福祉的一系列创造性活动制定和评估程序和方法，以便为未来的相关政策和实践提供参考。

Many older people feel that creative arts activities have had a positive impact on their health. Recently, research has focussed on the value and impact of the arts on particular groups of older people; especially those suffering from dementia. The results of these studies, however are primarily anecdotal and lack rigorous methodology; therefore, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about the impact of different arts activities on wellbeing. ?Ageing Creatively? will establish a robust range of methodologies, enabling us to collect meaningful data and evaluate the relative benefits of creative arts interventions on the wellbeing of older people.There is a need to ask some fundamental questions: can the creative arts really foster a sense of wellbeing, reducing the sense of isolation for many older people? Are there greater benefits from active participation rather than more passive experiences (eg song-writing versus attending a concert)? Are some artforms more effective than others? Are the benefits significantly different from those of other regular social contact? It is vital to achieve greater understanding of the processes and potential therapeutic outcomes of creative activity and especially to evaluate the appropriateness of different methodologies. This is the fundamental aim of the current proposal.An initial critical literature review will build a comprehensive picture of all previous and relevant research already available in this field. ?Ageing Creatively? will offer value for money by using established infrastructures where appropriate and developing approaches for further research. Different methodological approaches will be examined, building not only on Newcastle University?s own recent experience, but on the latest international research. Secondly, a series of weekly 2-hour sessions involving groups of around 10 participants aged over 55 and not currently in the workforce will cover three creative areas: creative writing and reading, music (song-writing and concert-going), and fine art (painting/ sculpting and exhibition visits), with a further ?control? group experiencing non-creative activities (eg board games). ?Ageing Creatively? will develop and evaluate the processes and methodologies around a range of creative activities designed to promote mental health and wellbeing in later life which can inform relevant future policy and practice.