Portland First U.S. City with MCI/Alzheimer's Disease 12-Step Program to Enhance Cognitive Stability and Neuroplasticity
The program can be implemented expensively by fee-based professionals; or, by the public like other 12-step programs at no cost. Art In Portland assembled and advocates the Senior Cognitive Arts 12-Step Program
The focus of Art In Portland is senior cognitive improvement in Metropolitan Portland thru Art Education and Multiple Intelligences ... to which we've added our Cognitive Arts 12-Step Program (ten steps are clinically documented). Art Education refers to John Dewey's work on cognitive transformation and integration of the individual into democracy thru the practice of art, and John Gardner's work on multiple intelligences (located in different cognitive brain sectors), in order to individualize interactions with clients or participants based on their cognitive strengths ...as different people have different cognitive strengths.
To help maintain or enhance cognitive stability of seniors with issues such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early-to-mid stages of Alzheimer's Disease, Art In Portland has designed a Senior Cognitive Arts 12-Step Program to be used in fee-based professional settings or adapted by the public like other 12-Step programs at no cost.
We've added to John Dewey's methodology of Art Education, and John Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, our Cognitive Arts 12-Step Program (in part based on the clinically tested and scientifically verified TTAP Method, but expanded by us to include additional features, described below*), intended to help maintain, restore and grow one's cognitive abilities ...as much as permitted by the current growth or decline of one's existing state of mental, physical, dietary, spiritual and cognitive health; (cognitive bearing may, or may not, improve).
*To this we optionally add Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Massage Therapy, Diet Therapy, and Alternative Medicine, Preventive Care Programs and upon request psychic-, spiritual- and/or prayer healing.
Cognitive Arts 12-Step Program
Activities focus on social engagement for cognitive involvement, participants and clients draw on life stories, explored thru movement, story, dance and engagement making art for self expression and are conducted in a sensitive, emotionally genuine, warm and caring setting.
Over twenty years, as caregivers charting activities of daily living (ADL's) we have observed improved cognitive functioning, such as memory enhancement, in some seniors with Alzheimer's Disease ...by involving them in visual art programs taught by health caregivers who are also visual artists, ‘creative types'*, and special education teachers.
Sessions can be on a one-time basis, with caregivers bringing in their clients for Art Education, for a fee of $23 per hour per instructor plus up to $10 for art supplies. Or, for those interested in more intensive cognitive work for their mom or dad, sessions can be arranged for 1-to-3 hours, 1-to-7 days a week, for 6-to-12 weeks, for $23 per hour per instructor plus art supplies. Sessions can be one-on-one, or in small groups of 1-to-3 with one instructor present, or 4-to-6 with two instructors present.
While much of the following material is based on the TTAP method, (and the research and clinical testing supporting it), we've expanded that methodology to include extrasensory, intuitive, psychic and spiritual cognitive inner-personal and extra-personal growth and communication modalities -- because they are the unknown building blocks of cognition and ideation, put simply -- because they exist).
We organize activities around clients' accomplishments in life in an emotionally warm and caring way, engaging clients' cognitive brain-processing areas, using brain science to improve their quality of life, and may include: Art & Performing Arts <> Autobiography <> Assemblage <> Clay <> Collage <> Coloring <> Dance <> Design <> Exercise (movement) <> Food Tasting <> Fiction <> Filmmaking <> Folk Arts <> Graphic Design <> Journalism <> Literature <> Media Arts <> Mixed Media Art <> Movement <> Museums <> Music (creating) <> Music Appreciation <> Musical Theatre <> Opera <> Oral Journalism <> Photography <> Poetry (writing) <> Pottery <> Printmaking <> Scrapbooks (& photo albums) <> Singing <> Storytelling <> Theatre <> Watercolor <> Viewing short films together followed by discussion <> Visual Arts.
Our methodology structures left-brain and right-brain functioning into corresponding cognitive activities. Peak cognitive performance uses both.
Which Activities Stimulate LEFT Brain Functioning
| Logical/rational | Reminiscence |
| Arithmetic | Puzzles |
| Reading | Story boards |
| Sequential | Food, recipes |
| Concrete reality | Orientation, names of objects / people |
Which Activities Stimulate RIGHT Brain Functioning
| Inspiration | Object relations |
| Visual | Paints, color, form |
| Reactive skills | Body, movement |
| Emotional | Photographs |
| Creative/artistic | Sculpture, 3-D work |
| Playful | Being in the moment |
Peak Performance -- Using both regularly
| Left Side | Logic, math, reading, speaking |
| Right Side | Creativity, inspiration, visual |
Cognitive Arts 12-Step Program
1. Writing down one's thoughts, expressing preferences (favorites), getting group consensus ... Language and visual communication imagery
2. Music, meditation, sharing feelings, favorites ... Intra and inter personal, musical, hearing and visual communication imagery
3. Mood in one's mind ... drawing the imagination ... Kinesthetic, spatial, visual and spiritual communication imagery
4. Self-expression thru sculpture, drawing, painting, coloring ... spatial, visual and kinesthetic communication imagery
5. Self-expression thru movement (and movement therapy), massage, and dance ... Kinesthetic, visual, and musical imagery communication
6. Words/poetry imagery and stories ... Linguistic, intra/interpersonal communication imagery
7. Food for thought ... Linguistic, kinesthetic-, intra/inter-personal communication imagery
8. Theme event ... Intra-and-interpersonal relationships, spatial, visual, kinesthetic, musical, linguistic, and visual modes of communication imagery
9. Photography and scrapbooking ... Linguistic, visual, intra/interpersonal relationships, kinesthetic and spatial modes of communication imagery, discussion
10. Food tasting ... Tasting-sensory communication imagery
11. Psychic (intuitive) communication imagery ... Extra-sensory (intuitive nonverbal, direct-or remote psychic reading, healing and communication imagery
12. Spiritual communication imagery ... Comforting visits by religious authorities corresponding to client belief system.
The goal of our 12-Step Program is to maintain and improve senior cognitive functioning. (Senior cognitive functioning may, or may not, improve using our 12-step program. Results vary by individual.)