Efficacy of Creative Arts Therapy in Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

This systematic literature review identifies existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of creative arts therapies among persons with memory loss and their care providers. A total of 112 articles were analyzed. Data from each article were extracted and synthesized to identify patterns in published results. Findings suggest that creative arts therapy is effective for treatment of behavioral and emotional challenges of the disease, but not for treatment of cognitive decline. However, small sample sizes, short (or nonexistent) follow-up, and the difficulty quantifying findings remain as challenges when interpreting the efficacy of creative arts therapy for persons with memory loss.

KEYWORDS:

• non-pharmacological
• programs
• memory loss
• effectiveness
• Alzheimer’s disease
• dementia