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''This page is written with permission of Miami University's Scripps Gerontology Center. Its objectivity has been maintained.''

Opening Minds through Art is a copyrighted program.

According to Dr. Elizabeth Lokon, founder of Opening Minds through Art (OMA):
 * Opening Minds through Art (OMA) is an intergenerational art program for people with dementia. It is grounded in person-centered ethics and founded on the fact that people with dementia are capable of expressing themselves creatively. There is a growing body of empirical evidence that creative expression improves their physical and psychological well-being. The mission of OMA is to build bridges across age and cognitive barriers through art.

OMA, which stands for Opening Minds through Art, also means "grandma" in Dutch and German.

Mission and Goals
The mission of the program is "To build bridges across age and cognitive barriers through art." The OMA program has four primary goals :
 * 1) To promote the social engagement, autonomy, and dignity of people with dementia by providing creative self-expression opportunities;
 * 2) To provide staff and volunteers with opportunities to build close relationships with people with dementia;
 * 3) To show the public the creative self-expression capacities of people with dementia through exhibitions of their artwork; and
 * 4) To contribute to the scholarly literature on dementia care and the arts.

History
Opening Minds through Art was started in 2007 at Ohio's Miami University by Dr. Elizabeth Lokon of the Scripps Gerontology Center. As an undergraduate, Lokon originally studied painting at the University of California Berkley. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Miami University. OMA formed when she combined art, gerontology, and education to create a program that meets the needs of people with dementia while providing service learning opportunities to college students. Since then, OMA has continued to grow, now serving over 200 elder-volunteer pairs annually. In 2011, OMA received the Best Practice Award from LeadingAge Ohio.

Background
Research shows that people with dementia are capable of creative self-expression despite cognitive impairment. They are also capable of connecting with others on a more emotional level.


 * "Researchers found for the first time that individuals with Alzheimer's show a high level of emotional contagion', the unconscious ability to mimic another person's emotions... And as this disease progresses, destroying more brain cells and cognitive skills, this emotional empathy gets stronger, allowing patients to become more sensitive - and more vulnerable - to the feelings, words, and behaviors of other people. "

A person with dementia expresses the above research finding as follows:
 * "As we become more emotional and less cognitive, it's the way you talk to us, not what you say, that we will remember. We know the feeling, but don't know the plot. Your smile, your laugh and your touch are what we will connect with. Empathy heals. Just love us as we are. We're still here, in emotion and spirit. If only you could find us. "

OMA for Credit
Miami University currently offers OMA as an honors service-learning course (1 credit hour) and as an honors leadership course (2 credit hours). OMA is also offered as a service-learning component in an introductory gerontology course. Some students do OMA as their gerontology internship, graduate assistantship work, or for independent study credit. Students do not need to have prior art or gerontology experience. Students with various majors participate in OMA.

In the OMA honors service-learning course, students
 * 1) Receive training the first 3 weeks of classes,
 * 2) Volunteer weekly in the OMA programs throughout the semester, and
 * 3) Engage in reflection and journal-writing throughout the term.

OMA Club
Miami University also offers OMA as an extracurricular activity through OMA Club. The club requires much less of a commitment, but involved students still have the opportunity to volunteer on a weekly basis.

Training
During the training period, students get an overview of dementia, learn about OMA's philosophy and methodology, and practice communication and interpersonal skills required to implement a person-centered art program for people with dementia.

A key part of the training to become an OMA volunteer involves a simulation in which students are put into the position of a person with dementia. Students are first asked to complete a pre-test (adapted ), in which they provide information about their knowledge about and feelings toward people with dementia prior to experience with OMA. Following the pre-test, students are put into several situations that simulate effects of dementia. For example, the students put rubber cloves on their hands with kernels of corn in the finger tips to simulate the effects of arthritis, special glasses are worn to severely limit eyesight, and a loud track of ambient noise is played in the background to simulate hearing loss and confusion. Students are then asked to perform basic tasks such as buttoning one's shirt, folding clothes, and writing a letter. Following the simulation, students are asked to complete a post-test (adapted ) forcing students to reflect on the experience and the insight they gained.

Designing Activities
Prior to every session, the specific art project is designed and evaluated by various OMA leaders. Some principles that the leaders consider when designing new activities are whether the patients with dementia can succeed and maintain interest. The evaluation follows a copyrighted process by Dr. Elizabeth Lokon (2012).

Sessions & Process
The following has been adapted from the course syllabus for Opening Minds through Art:
 * 1. The huddle: Artist facilitators coach staff and volunteers about the day's project; staff members inform artist facilitators and volunteers about the residents' conditions/moods/concerns on that day.
 * 2. Picking-up partners: Find the artist that you will be working with and take him/her to the same seating every week. Be sure to introduce yourself and shake hands every time.
 * 3. Social time: Make nametags for artists and for self, small talk, putting aprons on artist and on self. (Apron is a symbol of productivity and creativity.)
 * 4. Opening song, clap, and opening remarks: To build a sense of community and focus everyone's attention, we begin with singing together an old song "You are my sunshine." We use the same song every week to create a sense of routine, i.e. predictable structure. Clap at the end of the song and then follow that the with the opening remarks: Artist facilitar briefly welcomes everyone and introduces the project for the day.
 * 5. Inspiration: Experiencing authentic art (asking opinions/aesthetic preferences).
 * 6. Distribution of supplies: Attractive "gifts," offering manageable choices.
 * 7. The creative process: Making something new of value.
 * a. Getting started (Need more assistance)
 * b. Getting into the "flow" (Need less assistance)
 * 8. Signing work and giving title: Ask questions like, "What would you call this piece?" or "What does this remind you of?" or "What do you think/feel when you see this?" (Have them sign the work if possible.) Use sticky notes to write: Artist's name, title (if any(, date, and facility's name.
 * 9. Sharing work with others: Take several finished pieces and show to others in the group. Be generous with complements.
 * 10. Artist feedback and session evaluation: Use the form to interview your partner about the session. Then complete your own assessment of the activity. This is used to track attendance.
 * 11. Closing song, clap, and closing remarks: Artist facilitator leads the closing song, "This Little Light of Mind." Clap with everyone at the end of the song. Volunteers say good-bye to their individual partners; and remember to shake hands.
 * 12. Taking partners back: Volunteers take their partners to their next locations and use this time to do some more social time.

Art Show
At the end of the semester, the best pieces from each artist are placed in an art show. The artists, student volunteers, and members of the artists' families are welcome to come to the reception.