Reducing social isolation in a rural community through participation in creative arts projects
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Reducing social isolation in a rural community through participation in creative arts projects

Ruth Pearce Senior lecturer, Institute of Health and Society, University of Worcester, Worcester
Sue Lillyman Senior lecturer, Institute of Health and Society, University of Worcester, Worcester

Ruth Pearce and Sue Lillyman discuss how engaging in creative activities can have a wide range of benefits for older people

This article reports the initial findings from the evaluation of four creative arts projects involving groups of older people living in a rural community. The purpose of the projects was to reduce social isolation among participants through providing direct access to arts and social activities.

The view was that these activities would improve life skills and independence, increase levels of activity and improve the health, wellbeing and quality of life of participants.

Evaluation of these projects demonstrated increased levels of self-worth and self-esteem among participants. Many of the older people involved agreed that they had made new friends while having the opportunity to try out a new activity.

Nursing Older People. 27, 10, 33-38. doi: 10.7748/nop.27.10.33.s22

Correspondence

r.pearce@worc.ac.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to double-blind review and has been checked using antiplagiarism software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 31 July 2015

Accepted: 13 October 2015

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