Culture on Prescription (COPE)

Description

The Culture on Prescription Europe project began as a collaborative effort among organisations from Ireland, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania. It aimed to combat the isolation and loneliness experienced by older people by offering cultural opportunities as a mechanism for social prescribing.

Social prescribing provides non-clinical interventions within the community to improve health and well-being. While social prescribing is well-established in Ireland, with a robust framework supporting its nationwide implementation, emphasising cultural engagement introduced a new dimension. Many individuals have found that participating in cultural activities enhances self-awareness and focus, encourages creative expression, fosters new friendships, and helps alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness. This innovative approach was well-received, garnering positive feedback and comments.

The COPE project promoted the active involvement of older people in cultural activities, strengthened their social interactions by connecting them with the local community, and helped them develop resilience to face daily challenges. The initial project linked 18 older people with an artist in a hand-printing program called Building Stories, where participants gathered weekly (8 weeks X 2 hours) to learn hand printing. Building Stories centred on stories about buildings – where one worked, one lived or a specific building with a special memory. It evoked opportunities to share knowledge, experiences and recollections. Beyond acquiring a new skill, the program’s interactive nature, engagement with other participants, formation of new friendships, and sense of purpose contributed to reducing social isolation and loneliness – this element of the initial programme was qualitatively evaluated and we found that engaging older people in creative activities offered numerous benefits, including:
1. Enhanced Cognitive Functioning: Creative activities such as painting, writing, and crafting stimulate the brain, improve memory, and enhance cognitive functions, which can help delay the onset of cognitive decline and dementia.
2. Emotional Well-being: Participation in creative activities can boost mood, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and enhance overall emotional well-being by providing a sense of accomplishment and purpose.
3. Social Connections: Creative programs often involve group settings, which encourage social interaction, foster new friendships, and reduce feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
4. Physical Health: Engaging in activities like dancing, gardening, or any art form that involves physical movement can improve physical health by increasing mobility, dexterity, and overall physical fitness.
5. Sense of Purpose and Achievement: Completing a creative project can provide a strong sense of purpose and achievement, enhancing self-esteem and confidence.
6. Stress Reduction: Creative expression can be a therapeutic outlet for stress and anxiety, offering a way to process emotions and experiences positively.
7. Improved Quality of Life: Regular engagement in creative activities can significantly improve the overall quality of life, providing joy, satisfaction, and a more positive outlook.
8. Cultural Engagement: Participation in cultural activities connects older adults to their community’s cultural heritage and traditions, fostering a sense of belonging and identity.
9. Resilience: Creative activities can help older adults develop resilience, enabling them to better cope with the challenges and changes associated with ageing.
10. Lifelong Learning: Engaging in new creative endeavours encourages continuous learning and personal growth, keeping the mind active.
11. Intergenerational learning to foster shared learning,knowledge transfer and challenging ageism
These benefits collectively contribute to the well-being and enrichment of older adults’ lives, making creative engagement an essential aspect of healthy ageing, especially in combatting loneliness and isolation.

After the initial project concluded in May 2023, DCU expanded the program and developed additional creative opportunities for older people as we could see the positive impact, benefits and attraction of offering these programmes. Activities included painting, life writing, creative writing, furniture restoration, and botanical art, culminating in the exhibition “Ageless Expressions: Celebrating Creative Contributions.” The exhibition provided a unique opportunity to explore and celebrate the artistic endeavours, talents, and contributions of older people engaged in creative programs. There was also an intergenerational painting workshop for grandparents/grandchildren . Showcasing diverse mediums such as visual arts, literature, and more, the exhibition highlighted the creativity and vibrancy of older adults actively participating in lifelong learning and cultural enrichment. This inspiring display of artistic expression recognised the valuable contributions of older people to our community and harnessed the many benefits of engaging older people in creative activities.

Aim of Initiative

• Spread knowledge on a promising, evidence-based approach to addressing loneliness, isolation and mental health challenges through facts, figures and examples of good practice and provide models that can be easily adapted in parts of Europe where practical experiences with Social Prescribing schemes are limited or non-existent.
• Create new concepts for cultural offerings combining positive impacts on health through cultural activities and learning efforts.
• Provide resources and practical support to facilitators in social and healthcare provision in running non-clinical offerings for older people concerned by or at risk of loneliness or social exclusion.
• Elaborate guidelines for those who wish to implement cultural activities to address loninless and social isolation.
• Create an implementation framework
Create and develop a variety of opportunities for older people to engage in cultural activities.

Who is it aimed at

Older People 55+ at risk of exclusion, social isolation/lonliness

3 Steps critical to success

1. Identifying the relevant activity and facilitator. For example, offering a variety of opportunities to engage in hands-on activities, painting, drawing, writing.

   Ensuring the facilitator is experienced/has a high standard of work and is a good listener.

2. Identifying the audience – how to engage hard to reach older people and making sure there is liaison with existing services (HSE/Social Preceribers/Pharmacy/PHN//Libraries) and older peoples groups

   Ensuring that there are resources and supports available to the facilitator in the case of disclosures.

   Ensuring there are resources available to older people if needed

3. Ensuring the environment is suitable – easy access/parking/bus routes/toilets/ catering

   Advertising in as many places as possible.

   Arranging the programmes during the daytime

   Providing refreshments as part of the weekly experience

   Celebrating the completed work by recognising the participants participation, either readings or an exhibition.

   Promoting it widely on social media/in writing etc.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Identifying the audience and ensuring there was extensive advertising of the programmes on offer
2. Ensuring the mix of the participants was comfortable by starting off with icebreaker sessions and then moving on to the activity. Being mindful of the needs of the participants – accessibility/inclusion issues etc
3. Identifying suitable resources and ensuring that the participant’s needs were met.

   Ensuring that the facilitators were supported and resources in place to guide them.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Broadened and informed the forms of cultural activities on offer, which impacted the scope of social and health concerns addressed (loneliness and social isolation)

   Provided an opportunity for older people to learn a new skill, make new friends and engage in their community.

2. Provided an opportunity to learn from local and regional expert service providers to engage hard-to-reach participants and engaged a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure commitment at all levels
3. Informed new opportunities for older people at DCU.

   Celebrated the creative and contribution of older people to the social and cultural capital of the community