Supporting the Emergence of Cultural Change by Re-Imagining Dementia through the Arts

dancing with dementia artwork
Dr. Christine Jonas-Simpson, PhD (York University), Dr. Sherry Dupuis, PhD (PiDC Alliance), Dr. Gail Mitchell, PhD (York University), Dr. Pia Kontos, PhD (Toronto Rehabilitation Institute/ University Health Network) & Julia Gray, PhD Candidate (University of Toronto)
The facilitators shared visual representations and poetic expressions from an innovative arts and community-based research project that explored the implications of the tragedy discourse for persons and families experiencing dementia, and what an alternative discourse of dementia might look like. 
Participants reflected on their own images of dementia, engaged with the artistic expressions, and created new images and understandings of dementia that emerged in the moment. 
Participants learned how the arts can be used in culture change initiatives to challenge the dominant and stigmatizing tragedy discourse that constructs dementia and aging.