2023 Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity (AARF-D)
Therapeutic Poetry Program for Indigenous People Living with Dementia
How might culturally relevant, art-based therapy support Indigenous people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers?
Antonio Paniagua Guzman, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Duluth, MN - United States
Background
Research has shown that individuals living with Alzheimer’s benefit from interventions that address their emotional, social, and behavioral needs, in addition to their cognitive symptoms. Art-based therapy, for example, has been shown to improve overall quality of life and strengthen relationships between individuals living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.
These kinds of interventions are currently limited among certain groups at elevated risk of developing Alzheimer’s, such as Indigenous communities. This is due in part to a lack of culturally appropriate interventions.
Research Plan
Dr. Antonio Paniagua Guzmán and colleagues are working directly with Indigenous people to develop a culturally safe poetry intervention, adapting elements from the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project. The researchers plan to test the new intervention among 12 pairs of Indigenous people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers who are part of the Fond du Lac Band of the Lake Superior Ojibwe (Chippewa) in Minnesota.
They will use a community-based participatory research framework for the whole project. Members of the community will help oversee the work, facilitate poetry intervention sessions, and collect data using validated surveys. After completing a series of practice sessions, two Indigenous poets will facilitate 12 bi-weekly, hourlong poetry sessions over six months. Dr. Paniagua Guzmán will use pre- and post-session interviews with session individuals plus survey results to assess the effectiveness of this intervention. The goal is to identify specific aspects of the poetry intervention that improve quality of life, relationships, and self-identity among individuals.
Impact
This project could be the first to develop and implement a culturally safe, art-based intervention for Indigenous people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, helping to expand care options for this population. Results from this work could inform development of larger interventions.