mygraphicdiary:

Artwork created by people with dementia.

I’ve always heard of art being used as therapy but I’d never seen it used in a person afflicted with Dementia. In many ways these drawing make me think of how, right before we die we regret to our childhood.

Even though I need to investigate more, from what I’ve seen, people with dementia have their memories of the past surging again (confusing a son with a father, or a husband with a son, etc…) or talking about family members that have already passed away or with whom they haven’t had contact with for a long time.

These childlike drawings done with people in their 70s only serve to cement more that image that I have of dementia. A bit like the movie of Benjamin Button.

Hey mygraphicdiary, thanks for reblogging my post! I want to say, however, that dementia is less about “regressing” to childhood—it’s more about LOSING what we’ve gained over time. As an adult, you learn many things: you know how to walk, how to speak in social situations, how to eat properly, etc. When you have dementia, you slowly lose the higher-functioning thought and behavior abilities that you gained as you grew up. It’s not that we are turning back into kids, it’s just that, with dementia, you lose the wonderful things you gained as you aged. 

– @dementiabyday

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Rachael Wonderlin is an internationally-recognized dementia care expert and consultant. She has a Master’s in Gerontology and is the author of three published books with Johns Hopkins University Press. Rachael owns Dementia By Day, a dementia care consulting and education company.

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