King’s Grant held its first Opening Minds through Art (OMA) event in October with great success. Residents proudly displayed their artwork and families were able to experience firsthand the positive impact OMA has on their loved ones.
An award-winning, intergenerational art-making program, OMA was designed for people living with dementia and focuses on imagination instead of memory. The program pairs trained staff and volunteers with people living with dementia to create beautiful artwork, build friendships and encourage fun.
In reflecting on the program, Tammy Shorter, King’s Grant’s OMA Facilitator and Dementia Certified Practitioner, said, “OMA means so much to our residents. OMA is our opportunity for artistic self-expression and communication for everyone. The beauty is you don’t have to be artistic to enjoy. This is our intergenerational program that brings increased engagement, conversation and pure joy as we sing, paint, and create with a variety of textures (watercolors, acrylic, sponge, etc.) between our residents from all campus areas and our student, staff and volunteers. We see a tremendous difference in engagement and increased conversation throughout this activity which has become a favorite of all participants. The residents take a great deal of pride and joy in their end product which they title and frame for our art show. It is a joy to see this level of engagement and creativity.”
Here are some examples of the artwork showcased at the OMA event.
Midnight in the Marsh
Broken Window
