Feeling alive! : Participatory visual arts programme and vitality in a nursing home – A Singapore case study

Abstract

The priorities many nursing homes give to physical care often supersede consideration for leisure arrangement and resources for residents. Such an approach often resulted in low level of activity. Inactive lifestyle in nursing homes can diminish the quality of life of residents and elicit negative emotions such as boredom, reinforced dependency, lowered self-esteem, and diminished morale. In the light of population ageing and an increased in demand for nursing homes in Singapore, this research addressed the current lack of research on lifestyle arrangement to promote the personal well-being of nursing home residents. In doing so, it investigates the effect of a participatory visual arts programme to foster the well-being of nursing home residents. Through a novel approach that combined arts-health practice with social scientific qualitative case study, the link between participatory arts and vitality was explored. Participatory arts was found to vitalise the sensory, physical, cognitive, emotional, social dimension of residents and promote self-actualisation.