How SAMA uses art to connect people living with dementia
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A ReCollections session at the museum. Photo: Courtesy of the San Antonio Museum of Art
The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) has grown a pandemic-era virtual program called ReCollections into free in-person gatherings centered on art, storytelling and connection for people living with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.
Why it matters: People living with dementia can face isolation as the disease progresses, making opportunities to socialize and express themselves increasingly important.
How it works: Participants and their caregivers look at and discuss works from SAMA's collection, with museum educators using the art to prompt memories and personal stories.
- They then create their own art inspired by what they've seen and end the session with a shared meal.
- "The artworks are kind of a touchstone, but we're really looking to explore personal experience," SAMA education director Tripp Cardiff tells Axios.
Catch up quick: The idea for ReCollections started in late 2020 through a partnership with UT Health San Antonio's Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, the Alzheimer's Association and Grace Place.
- The pandemic forced the program to begin virtually before it eventually moved into SAMA's galleries.
- The free program offers three sessions each quarter — one at UT Health's Center for Brain Health and two at SAMA.
- About 477 people participated in ReCollections during the last fiscal year, according to SAMA.
Zoom in: SAMA is beginning to collect formal feedback from participants, though Cardiff says conversations and observations still provide most of the insight into the program's impact.
- He's watched participants recognize one another, form friendships and even make plans to meet outside the program.
- "For the most part, right now, what we have are just people sharing their experiences with us," Cardiff says.
The big picture: San Antonio's majority-Latino population faces an elevated risk of dementia: Older Hispanic Americans are about 1.5 times as likely as older white Americans to have Alzheimer's or another dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
Between the lines: ReCollections extends beyond the scheduled sessions. SAMA supplies hundreds of art kits to the Center for Brain Health's creativity space, where people can make art on their own or take a kit home.
What's next: Upcoming sessions and registration information are available through Eventbrite.