Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I Remember Better When I Paint



By Amy Price PhD

All people have value. Dignity, respect and inclusion are gifts we can offer regardless of where life takes us. The first Alzhiemer's group I worked with along with colleagues at Sparks of Genius opened my eyes to how much can be done to restore identity, quality of life and initiate healing. Our group was classified as high functioning and indeed they were in the past, we had former heads of multi national corporations, advisors to past president, diplomats, and former CIA. They were all later stage alzhiemer patients looking at us hopefully quite aware of their limitations but still with the undeniable need to be loved and belong.

When an individual is brain challenged there is a part of the brain (hippocampus/amygdala) that is extremely vulnerable when they are hurt or marginalized. They don't fight back for a long time if at all because they are paralysed with self doubt and shame. The brain plays negative events over and over while the brain tries to connect the dots. This stress leads to an inflammation spiral that produces greater cognitive losses. I couldn't do that to them so I moved forward  to accept them and they me.

I wanted to run or hide behind a lack of qualifications or diagnostic fatalism but thier eyes and vulnerability drew me in. They knew about stem cells, gene therapy and international policy but could not spell their names, draw a clock or find their way back from the bathroom alone. Together we found ways to communicate, conquer fear or anger and learn. I gave them my mind and they gave me thier trust and experience. Together we grew and I understood the strength of the human spirit and how brain potential can be tapped. They learned to work as a group to protect each other with collective memory and without blame. Their ability to communicate and function improved. We used art, computers, music, books, dance and diaries to help them learn to re-love themselves and connect with their families. We gave family workshops.  I did power point presentations on the illness until they understood it for themselves and could walk away with hope.

They were the difference between reality and experimental theory. There is scientific evidence for memory improvement while painting. There is a part of the brain (striatum) that needs to update for learning,  learning brings a need for consolidation where the brain reclassifies the input into working units. Positive environments and rich sensory experience can trigger the brain and the body to heal and connect from the inside out.

Many great scientists are also artists relating that as they paint or play music the mind consolidates and inspriation and patterns flow together. Release the genius within with art and music and remember that when there is envy and strife there is confusion and blame but where love lives it will never fail, fade out or become obsolete. I too remember better when I paint!

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for having posted the clip to this film. Have now seen the full documentary on DVD, and it was useful and inspiring. Thanks again.

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  2. My wife is in the primary stages if early onset Alzheimer's. I would love to watch this movie with her, but the lowest price DVD I can find is $35 at Amazon. Where can a more affordable copy be purchased?

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  3. Have you tried your library or local alzhiemers association?

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