Tea at Trianon: Art and Dementia

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Art and Dementia

From AJC:

Don and Charlene Willis of Smyrna have never been the type to spend an afternoon poking around an art museum, but now they wouldn’t think of missing their monthly visits to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. They are regular participants in “Musing Together,” an art tour designed for those in early stage Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Care partners are also invited to the free program, which is a partnership of the High Museum and the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter. “We both thoroughly enjoy it,” said Charlene. Don, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014, “loves it,” she added.

The tours are led by art educator Amanda Williams, who selects a theme, then leads the group through various galleries to view and talk about specific works of art related to that theme. She creates a safe space for them to express their opinions, ask questions, and just interact and make friends. For caregivers, it’s an opportunity to get out of their set routines. “We just want them to come and enjoy themselves,” Williams said.

There’s a lot of laughter, and a lot of learning, too. The program, which started in March, is offered the first Wednesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Both non-profits are still trying to figure out what works and tweak what doesn’t. Museum staffers were trained by the Alzheimer’s Association on how to respond appropriately to visitors with dementia. The group is kept small, no more than 20 at a time, and they don’t go into galleries that are overstimulating. A staff member from the Alzheimer’s Association is also present throughout the program to assist if needed.

Art has multiple benefits for the brain, providing good cognitive stimulation in different areas, said Kara Johnson, an Atlanta Alzheimer’s Association care consultant. But the program is more than an art history lesson. It’s an opportunity to build friendships with others going through the same journey. Participants are encouraged to engage in conversations about the artwork, as well as share their life stories. (Read more.)