Educação pela arte

“Uma (educação artística) é a única que dá harmonia ao corpo e enobrece a alma... devemos fazer Educação com base na arte logo desde muito cedo, porque ela pode operar na infância durante o sono da razão. E quando a razão surge, a Arte terá preparado o caminho para ela. Então ela será bem vinda, como um amigo cujas feições essenciais têm sido há muito familiares.” (Platão in Fedro)

Metaphase: um super-herói com Síndrome de Down

Criado pelo guionista Chip Reece e desenhado por Kelly Williams, Metaphase é a história de um filho de super-herói, que, apesar de ter Síndrome de Down, deseja ser “super” também.

Ollie vê a oportunidade bater à sua porta quando a Powers Inc. anuncia estar à procura de voluntários para testar seu controverso e experimental tratamento de cromossomas, um processo que promete dar super poderes a quem os quer. Porém, os objetivos da Powers Inc. são malévolos, e podem destruir o pai de Ollie.

Chip Reece criou a banda desenhada baseando-se na força de vontade de seu filho Oliver. Oliver nasceu em 2010, com Síndrome de Down e dois defeitos cardíacos congénitos. Necessitou de fazer três cirurgias e uma traqueostomia, passando sete meses no hospital, onde se alimentava através de um tubo inserido no pescoço.

Metaphase será publicada pela Alterna Comics, em formato digital, e em breve estará disponível no ComiXology.

Notícia adaptada a partir de aqui

Arts proven to combat Alzheimers

A soon-to-be-published study, Reawakening the Mind, has confirmed that the mind-body benefit of artistic stimulation. UK organisation Arts 4 Dementia offers statistical proof of the transforming power of the arts in treating patients suffering from memory loss. This latest discovery affirms the health benefits of arts therapies when applied to early dementia sufferers.

A sample group of 41 early dementia sufferers, aged between 66 and 91, participated in workshops in music, drama, poetry, dance, photography and painting. The study assessed the effectiveness of each arts activity in improving cognitive function and wellbeing. Enhanced cognitive ability, stress relief, and a decrease in memory problems were just some of the reported benefits. With each individual participating in at least one activity, the 93 assessments were condensed into the following heartening findings:

• 94% of people with dementia were energised, unstressed, happy and alert for at least 24 hours after an arts session.
• 89% claimed to feel more confident.
• 84% of people with dementia recognised that they had learned new skills.

As a result of the sessions 97% of patients recognised that creative activity overrides memory worries and an impressive 99% of participants planned to develop their art further.

Results of the evaluation, overseen by Professor Paul Camic, Professor of Psychology and Public Health at Canterbury Christ Church University, indicated many positive effects for people with early dementia. “The results from this large-scale evaluation of many different arts-based projects strongly support that participating in the arts in group settings – in different ways and through different media – benefit people with dementia, the people who care for them, and the organisations that offer these programmes, in a significant and profound way”, he reported.

While visual arts generated the greatest immediate sense of achievement it was music and dance that demonstrated a significantly longer energising effect than other art forms, with the results concluding that art practices can combat many of the most difficult effects of early dementia. The results also suggest that arts activity can delay onset.

Reawakening the Mind is one of the first studies to develop a multiple art form model of stimulation activities for people in the early stages of dementia. Arts 4 Dementia Chief Executive, Veronica Franklin Gould, says: “Once dementia has set in, the creative part of the brain can continue to function for many more years and artistic stimulation is a powerful, sociable way to open up communication channels.”

Whilst acknowledging the need for training accreditation in these fields, Arts 4 Dementia are calling on arts organisations to provide practitioners and appealing to doctors to recommend arts activities for patients upon diagnosis.

Info at LimeLight

Beamz: Interactive Music System

Beamz is an innovative and fun musical instrument that enables special needs kids and individuals of all ages to interactively create and play music. It is a great tool in a variety of special needs and rehabilitation applications, most notably including physical and recreational therapy with children and senior citizens, building inspiration without discouragement.

Beamz is universally designed so it is accessible to students of all learning and physical abilities—it’s switch accessible too! Beamz’ versatility in its application context is unmatched—you can work on cognition, processing, sequencing, cause and effect, motor skills, memory, literacy, math concepts, collaboration, music therapy, music education and so much more. Or, you can simply leverage its “cool factor” to engage students and reward productivity.

How it works?

Performance

Info from The Beamz

Echolilia: A Father's Photographic Conversation with His Autistic Son

"Echolilia" is an alternate spelling of a more common term, "echolalia," used in the autistic community to refer to the habit of verbal repetition and copying that is commonly found in autistic kids' behavior. I liked the idea of it: photography is a form of copying. Kids are a form of repetition. And looking at my kid with photography allowed me to see myself a new.

Archibald, Eli's father 

Eli's parents always knew he was different, but they couldn't explain how and certainly couldn't answer why. It was his younger brother's development that shone a light on Eli's circumstances. When little brother, Wilson, turned 2 and Eli was 5, the mystery of "What's up with Eli?" seemed to “take over everything,” Archibald told.

The father and son started doing photo shoots together around that time. But, Archibald says, he wasn’t trying to create a masterpiece - "Echolilia" happened completely by accident. Taking pictures together was “just something to do,” something to fill the time. None of the shots were planned. Eli would be doing something quirky around the house (for example, blowing into a tube) and dad would shoot in different locations, make lighting adjustments and experiment. Each session only lasted about five to ten minutes before Eli got bored, Archibald said.

Midway through kindergarten, while the shoots were already underway, Eli was diagnosed with autism. His parents were surprised because he’s “so high-functioning,” but they weren’t sad. They already knew and loved their son who Archibald describes as curious, loud, mechanical and larger-than-life –- the diagnosis didn't change who he was. If anything, the autism label “explained some things,” because Eli was different from the other kids, Archibald said.

Letters that Archibald received in response to "Echolilia" showed him that Eli is not alone, not unusual per se. He often receives notes from other parents who say, “That looks like my kid.” The words are surprising and comforting. “I thought it was just us,” Archibald said.

At a recent photo festival called Look3, Eli, now 10, explained what "Echolilia" has meant to him. “It kind of looks into my mind a bit,” he said. “It can kind of show what the autistic brain is like and what autistic kids, or maybe just normal kids in the ages of 5-8 years old, would do.”

Archibald told NPR that Eli’s awareness of his autism is important - he wants his son to see his individuality as an asset. But as a father, Archibald ignores the diagnosis - he told that it doesn't change how he parents Eli. “Building the relationship is your key to everything,” he said. 

More info at Huffington Post

Dementia & Art

I Remember Better When I Paint: Dementia & Art 

We wanted to share this fantastic video as an example of how art is making an impact for individuals living with a variety of dementias in various stages of the disease. While the mind and memories fade, their imagination remains intact. Engaging with art through dialogue and painting allows people to tap into their non-verbal, emotional side and make meaning in the moment. This aliveness and focus is really at the core of quality of life. 

From Sound Options

Alive Inside

Alzheimer’s and dementia are a reality for an increasing and often unseen population. Though well intentioned, many nursing homes are not equipped to fully meet the needs of these residents. We are left with several questions without any real or comforting answers: How do I want to age? What can we do for our loved ones? Can we do better?

Alive Inside investigates these questions and the power music has to awaken deeply locked memories. The film follows Dan Cohen, a social worker, who decides on a whim to bring iPods to a nursing home. To his and the staff’s surprise many residents suffering from memory loss seem to “awaken” when they are able to listen to music from their past. With great excitement, Dan turns to renowned neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, and we follow them both as we investigate the mysterious way music functions inside our brains and our lives.

Besides telling a moving story, it is our hope that this film will encourage widespread adoption of personalized music programs in nursing homes and outpatient therapy in homes. We hope that our film will inspire and educate the millions of people burdened by diseases that affect memory, and create a grassroots demand for this kind of low cost treatment, which could help not only patients but also caregivers across the globe. Like many films that concentrate on a simple story but echo into larger stories, we feel this film raises questions about how we as a society care for the elderly and afflicted.

Alive Inside focuses on one man’s journey, but it raises many deep questions about what it means to still be Alive Inside. It questions when we stop being human, and what it takes to re-start a life that has faded away. It asks questions about how we see our elderly, and how we are going to treat an epidemic of these degenerative diseases.

Info from Alive Inside