How digital arts can contribute to the social inclusion of elderly people
Social inclusion is a fundamental aspect of society, which should be better encouraged and promoted, especially in order to create links with disadvantaged and undervalued target groups such as, in this case, elderly people affected by dementia and other degenerative brain diseases. In the 2016 WHO and ADI (Alzheimer's Disease International) Report, dementia, in its multiple forms, was described as "a global public health priority". The most recent international estimates indicate that there are around 35.6 million people worldwide suffering from dementia, with 7.7 million new cases every year and a new case diagnosed every 4 seconds. By 2020 the global number will rise to 52 million. The number of people with Alzheimer's disease is expected to triple over the next 40 years.
There is a clear need to use innovative practices to increase and expand the training of professionals who already work with Alzheimer’s patients. This is best done through the creation of a network and a team of experts with skills from different sectors. On an international level, the focus on dementia is evidenced by the increasing involvement of international bodies such as the WHO, OECD and the EU.
During the 9th session of the Conference of Member States on the "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities", in June 2016, the UN dedicated a space to this issue for the first time, reaffirming how crucial it is to recognise and respect the rights of all persons with mental and/or intellectual disabilities. Starting from the activities developed in the international and European context between 2008 and 2013, new initiatives have been implemented in recent years. In March 2015, the WHO hosted the first "Ministerial Conference on Global Action Against Dementia", which brought together experts from all over the world in Geneva to discuss the global challenges posed by the problem of dementia. Among the main activities that have emerged is the "Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025", adopted by WHO member states at the 70th World Health Assembly in 2017.
The primary objective of the Global Action Plan is to improve the quality of life of people with dementia and their families and caregivers. This includes respecting their dignity and reducing the negative impact on communities and states through a series of actions, including raising awareness and prioritising the issue of dementia, supporting families and caregivers, strengthening information systems for dementia and promoting research and innovation. In this scenario, digital innovation can play a major role. In the digital transformation era, it is essential to experiment with new available tools to offer advanced, innovative training characterised by the use of methodologies that are still not used widely in this field and to learn about new resources that could help to slow down the progression of the disease. Furthermore, digitalisation could become the key to interpreting Alzheimer's in contemporary society.
Studies and reports (as A. GUAITA, M. TRABUCCHI, Dementia. Treatment and care, 2016; WHO, Global Plan on Dementia, 2017; CENTRO ALZHEIMER RESEARCH CENTER FOR CARE, The discomforts of the family member; ARS TUSCANY, Families tell each other: the experiences of caregivers of patients with Dementia, 2018) have highlighted related critical issues, experience and management of the disease. Limited communication has emerged between the different levels and services involved in the management of Alzheimer's patients and complexity in activating effective and standardised communication flows between professionals in the sector. There is a lack of homogeneity/heterogeneity in the services offered, their organisation and distribution throughout the territory, and the people responsible for responding to the needs connected with the disease. In our society, too often not enough attention is given to families affected by Alzheimer's who find themselves in a situation of loneliness and isolation. It is very important to understand that society needs to change in order to help this fragile group and allow them to live in welcoming communities where they are included and respected. Citizens, organisations and businesses should work together to remove the barriers that prevent these people from participating in the life of the community. To do this, four aspects that identify a society need to be considered, but also key factors to understand where barriers to accessibility are encountered:
- people: the awareness and acceptance of people with dementia and their carers;
- places: they must be suitable to be experienced by people with dementia as well;
- networks: it is necessary to connect different activities by sharing information and developing a strategic approach. If coordinated action is to be taken over a geographical area, it is essential to involve a wide network of organisations, companies, groups and individuals, including those with dementia experience;
- resources: funding is essential if continuous, appropriate and organised initiatives are to be carried out by specialised and competent staff.
Additionally, the role played by digital technology, another tool for breaking down cultural, physical and intellectual barriers must be considered. In recent years it has proved to be of fundamental importance as a playful, but also therapeutic tool. Today virtual systems are showing their full potential to improve the quality of life of Alzheimer's sufferers and to provide tools for even earlier diagnosis. Among the experiments is the English project "The Wayback". The project involves immersing oneself in 3D films, which enables the participant to relive news events that happened during their life. Another is the Italian project "Cave" which aims to identify signs of a reduction in certain cognitive abilities. So digital technologies could represent a new way to include patients and to slow down the progression of the disease.
In the artistic-cultural field, activities for Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers have been being promoted for some years now. Art and culture can serve as a non-pharmacological therapy to promote social inclusion and well-being. Not surprisingly, since 2018, in Canada "museotherapy" has been officially recognised and can be prescribed just like a drug. Furthermore, in November 2019 the Cur'Arti project was launched in Italy with the aim of creating a network between health institutes and places of culture.
In this scenario, the creation of an innovative triangle of digital, socio-sanitary and artistic-cultural competences and the exchange of know-how seems to be particularly relevant and promising for the achievement of unexpected results. These professionals and their knowledge are the fundamental basis for creating a network and multidisciplinary teams of professionals from different sectors who, by improving their specific skills and acquiring new ones, can take the first steps today towards the creation of an innovative methodology. The latter could serve as a starting point for creating a methodology which is friendly, accessible and perfectly adapted to the developments of the digital age.
