Art therapy for elderly women diagnosed with Alzheimers: A positive person-centred approach increases ease in the care process

Abstract

This descriptive study aimed to increase knowledge of the influence of trust that Alzheimer's patients place in the practitioner in art therapy through the care process. Persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's neurodegenerative diseases may use a non-pharmacological supportive activity in healthcare to increase self-esteem and decrease anxiety. French modern art therapy has been developed for this purpose as a sensory stimulation intervention giving an increase in feeling pleasurable sensations. This therapy requires from such patients a trust-based relationship with the therapist in order to better commit to the activity. This case study is an attempt to examine the importance of interpersonal trust built into the therapeutic relationship. Based on the person-centred approach developed by Carl Rogers, the aim of this paper is to explore how the empathic-based therapist's behaviour can help the patient to develop self-confidence from trust he placed in this therapist in order to better commit to the activity. An observational grid established from a model using love of self, self-confidence, assertiveness and trust. Field observations showed that trust represented about 40% of the variability in the self-esteem model. An empathic-based approach can considerably help the patient to develop trust. Thus, built trust between severe-stage Alzheimer's patients and the art therapist is regarded as essential in the context of this study. Trust reactivates self-confidence, which provokes a physical engagement in the art making, engagement regarded as key for art-therapeutic activity because the art making ultimately will lead to a decrease in anxiety. This is particularly noticeable at the beginning of the process at least during the first sessions (five in average in this study for elderly women diagnosed with Alzheimers) when the built interpersonal trust strengthens the therapeutic relationship. For the art therapists working with Alzheimer's disease people, this study recommends first increasing the empathic approach of practitioners to help the patient to develop trust. It also suggests better efficiency in the healthcare process when using a person-centred approach such as that established by Carl Rogers. The Rogers approach, as well as his dynamics of change theory, can apply to severe-stage neurodegenerative disease people and help the reactivation of patients’ self-confidence. Such an approach is recommended at the beginning of the care process, and then must be released when the patients express assertiveness. Empathy as well as absence of judgment facilitate aesthetic expression and creativity.