Life Is A Stage: Dementia Care and the Dramatic Arts

描述(由申请人提供)：戏剧作品的开发存在市场潜力，这些戏剧作品可以在为痴呆症患者提供护理的设施中表演，并可以让这些居民互动参与。因此，这个第二阶段项目的目的是完善我们的第一阶段SBIR(生活是一个阶段)中创造的两个可以在为痴呆症患者服务的住所中表演的戏剧，并为此创造两个新的戏剧。戏剧被设计成提供线性或非线性结构。线性结构更多地以叙事为基础，具有更固定的角色和背景。这种非线性结构更多地依赖于自发和即兴的方法。在第一阶段，我们发现早期至中度痴呆的人在进行非线性游戏时最投入，而痴呆症较严重的人在线性游戏中投入更多。在第二阶段拨款的阿尔法开发阶段，原创戏剧和两个新戏剧(1个线性和1个非线性)将在三种不同类型的痴呆症护理环境-成人日托中心、辅助生活设施和长期护理设施的特别护理单位(SCU)-由表演学生在两个地理区域的每种类型的两个环境中演出：大纽约市地区和大波士顿地区。在每个特定的设置中，将执行线性和非线性的播放。在测试版开发阶段，我们在Alpha开发阶段的经验将导致对四个剧本的修订。此外，所有的剧本、道具、说明(包括一张展示表演和如何上演戏剧的DVD)都将来自一个包装(我们称之为“戏剧盒”)，节目和活动总监将使用它来与客户和居民推出他们自己的互动戏剧节目。在每种类型的痴呆症护理环境中的所有4场比赛将在大波士顿地区进行。然后，该产品将在俄亥俄州大克利夫兰地区的每种类型的痴呆症护理环境中以类似的方式进行测试。第二阶段项目的目标是：1)利用我们第一阶段的经验来修订第一阶段为痴呆症患者开发的两个互动戏剧，并创建两个新的互动戏剧；2)评估游戏的类型--线性或非线性--是否对痴呆症患者及其照顾者产生不同的影响；3)确定痴呆症患者的参与是否受到标准节目与参与游戏的不同影响；4)确定痴呆症患者的认知和痴呆症患者的能力以及生活质量测量是否在演出后随时间变化；5)评估戏剧在不同居住环境和居民样本中产生的效果是否存在差异；6)确定演员表演戏剧时产生的效果是否可以在活动人员使用测试版的生活是一个阶段时进行监督时复制；以及7)利用我们在第二阶段项目中的经验来创建最终的、可供市场使用的产品版本。 公共卫生相关性：这项名为《生活是一个舞台：痴呆症护理和戏剧艺术》的第二阶段SBIR项目涉及创作四部戏剧，使处于各种护理环境中的痴呆症患者能够参与即兴戏剧。基于英国开发的一个类似的项目，我们将记录当痴呆症患者有机会参与戏剧艺术时，他们所产生的积极影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Market potential exists for development of works of drama that can be performed in facilities providing care for persons with dementia, and which can involve such residents interactively. Therefore, the purpose of this Phase 2 project is to refine two plays created in our Phase 1 SBIR (Life Is A Stage": Dementia Care and the Dramatic Arts) that can be performed in residences serving persons with dementia, and to create two new plays for this purpose. Plays are designed to provide either a linear or non-linear structure. The linear structure is more narrative-based, with more fixed roles and settings. The non-linear structure relies more on spontaneous and improvisational approaches. In Phase 1, we found that persons with early to moderate dementia were most engaged during the performance of the non-linear play, and those with more advanced dementia were more engaged during the linear play. In the alpha development stage of this Phase 2 grant, the original plays and two new plays (1 linear, 1 non-linear) will be performed in three different types of dementia care settings - Adult Day Care Centers, Assisted Living Facilities, and Special Care Units (SCUs) of long-term care facilities - by acting students used in Phase 1 in two of each type of setting in two geographic areas: the Greater New York City area and in the Greater Boston area. In each specific setting, a linear and a non-linear play will be performed. In the beta development stage, our experiences in the alpha development stage will result in revisions of the four plays. In addition, all scripts, props, instructions (including a DVD showing performances and how to stage the plays) will come out of a package (we call it the "Drama Box") that Program and Activity Directors would use to put on their own interactive drama programs with clients and residents. All 4 plays in one of each type of dementia care setting will be performed in the Greater Boston area. This product will then be tested in a similar way in one of each type of dementia care setting in the Greater Cleveland, Ohio area. The objectives of the Phase 2 project are: 1) To create use our experience from Phase 1 to revise two interactive plays for persons with dementia developed in Phase 1 and to create 2 new interactive plays; 2) To assess whether the type of play - linear or non-linear - differentially affects persons with dementia and their caregivers; 3) To determine if engagement is differentially affected by standard programming versus taking part in a play in residents with dementia; 4) To determine if perceptions of dementia and capabilities of persons with dementia, along with quality of life measures, change across time after performances; 5) To assess whether there are differences in the effects produced by the plays across different residential settings and resident samples; 6) To determine if effects produced when plays are performed by actors can be replicated when performances are supervised by activity staff using the beta version of Life Is A Stage"; and 7) To use our experience in the Phase 2 project to create a final, market ready version of the product. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This Phase 2 SBIR project, titled Life Is A Stage": Dementia Care and the Dramatic Arts," involves creation of four plays that will enable persons with dementia in a variety of care settings to take part in improvisational theatre. Based on a similar program called "Ladder to the Moon" developed in the UK, we will document the positive effects for persons with dementia when they are provided with a chance to take part in dramatic arts.