Abstract
The objective of this study was to present findings from a literature review on the documented health benefits of arts programs for older adults. A systematic literature review was conducted to examine research publications on participatory arts programs for older adults and their reported impact on health outcomes. A total of 2,205 articles were found. Of these, 11 were eligible for inclusion. The review describes the effects of participation in art programs on a variety of health outcomes. The small number of empirical studies documenting the health impact and limitations in their design prohibit broad generalizations, however, findings suggest there are physical and mental health benefits for older adults from arts participation.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the efforts of Miriam Rose (Senior Policy Research Analyst at the Benjamin Rose Institute) and the support of the National Center for Creative Aging and its Research Committee board members.
This work was completed when Melissa Castora-Binkley was with the Katz Policy Institute. She is currently affiliated with the School of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
Notes
1. *Denotes the derivatives and variations of these words.