How can art therapy help people with Alzheimer’s and dementia? The Alzheimer’s Association, there is a growing number of people living with the medical condition. Nearly 6.7 million Americans are living with memory loss. Although recent studies show creative activities like painting can help improve the well-being of a person with.

For the past five weeks, Carmen La Griega, an artist from Madrid Spain taught painting classes. She worked with the Duluth Art Institute to provide art sessions for people experiencing memory loss. People caring for their loved ones with Alzheimer’s and dementia could also participate. Carmen says her father lived with Alzheimer’s and she wanted to preserve his memory through painting.

“The main thing is to create in the space with music, with some simple tools to paint, and they will see that they really focus. Sometimes they are really stressed because it’s very true. I saw with my family, it’s very stressful process,” La Griega said. “But if you really love the person, you will give the patient and also you will enjoy by this process of giving them dignity.”

Rose Englund and her husband Lee took part in carmen’s art classes. She says Lee used to teach high school art classes, but three years ago he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Rose says the condition slowed his creativity, but now Lee is regaining his artistic inspiration to paint again.

“This is probably the hardest journey we’ve ever been on in our lives,” Englund said. “But this class has helped me to see that, find the silver linings and things. This class has been a real silver lining.”

One study from 2020 says artistic hobbies help reduce the frequency of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. That study is from the the National Institutes of Health. Christina Woods the Executive Director of the Duluth Art Institute says the artwork created by the artists and their caregivers will soon be shown in New York City art exhibit.

“Sharing an art experience, whether or not they themselves are artists, has been empowering and enlightening and inspirational. Those are three words that have come through the conversations after each class,” Woods said. “The emails that have come through, the photos they get to look at on our shared drive. Just having the opportunity to really build some memories together.”

The “Take Me Where There Is Life” art exhibit will also be on display to everyone tomorrow Friday at the Duluth Art Institute building in Lincoln Park from 5:30pm to 8pm. Funding for the art exhibit also came from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.