Grace filled moments : creative arts and pastoral care with patients living with dementia in the hospital setting

Abstract

This thesis describes the creative arts therapies being implemented throughout Canada and in two major areas in the United States. Creative art therapies include art, music, poetry, dance and movement therapy, improvisation and life review. I conducted phenomenological research on spiritual/pastoral care providers that worked in acute care hospitals in long-term facilities to ascertain their experience in using creative art therapies. The information gathered will hopefully assist clinical pastoral education (CPE) students, parish nurses, spiritual/pastoral care providers, chaplains, theology students, recreation therapists, social science students and other populations that wish to implement creative arts therapies. The research revealed unique insights into the inner experience of the spiritual/pastoral care providers and indirectly into the hospitalized clients living with Alzheimer’s. The research provided an opportunity for spiritual/pastoral care providers to express themselves and an opportunity to share their creative art therapies with many cultures thus supporting community and healing. The question of this thesis is how do spiritual/pastoral care providers assist this population and what creative art therapies are being implemented.