MindArt: An art-based relaxation programme for stroke survivors

Brief name: MindArt Why: Mindfulness-based art therapy integrates mindfulness techniques with art-making (Mak et al., 2023; Irons et al., 2020), offering the potential to reduce stress and improve well-being What: MinDArT is a dual-care programme for people with dementia and their supporters. Each weekly session involves people with neurological impairment undertaking custom-designed traditional and digital art-making exercises, while their supporters in an adjacent room undertake the same programme. The programme is inspired by nature, engaging as many senses as possible and applying repetitive drawing movements to relax, stimulate and engage participants. Each session utilises natural resources, traditional drawing materials, and a specially designed digital drawing application. The description of the materials and procedures involved is available in a manual (available on request). For example, as part of session 1, participants listen to the sound of ‘waves and seagull sounds’ and touch and smell the seaweed on a tray. They discuss memories of the sea. Then make patterns in sand trays with miniature ‘zen garden’ rakes. They use sand and glue to make patterns on dark paper. They use a digital ‘Touch Scape’ application that mimics making patterns in a zen garden. Who: The MindArt is run by a trained facilitator. MindArt training is provided by the developer of MindArt. The facilitators in this research activity are registered allied health professionals (speech-language therapists). They are supported by a volunteer in each group, recruited through the participating Stroke Club, with personal experience of supporting a person living with stroke. How: MindArt is delivered face-to-face in a group of up to 8 people. Where: MindArt is delivered in a community venue. When and how much: MindArt is delivered in 8 weekly sessions of 90 minutes per session. Tailoring / modifications: The MindArt sessions have been designed for people with neurological impairments with principles including use of senses to increase engagement, repetition, familiar actions and skills and awareness of ‘graphic Indicators’ of cognitive impairment (for example: regression, perseveration, simplification, fragmentation, disorganization, distortions, perceptual rotation, overlapping configurations, confused perspective, the presence of short scattered lines, and lack of detail). In addition, there is an emphasis on versatile outcomes for each activity to avoid frustration. There will be individual discussions with people with stroke-related communication changes (aphasia) prior to the programme to ensure an awareness of individual communication strategies and support needs. The facilitators and research team will document any modification required during the course of the study to ensure that MindArt is acceptable and feasible for stroke survivors, including stroke-related communication changes. They will document any activities that a participant finds difficult to understand or perform, as well as any adaptations or accommodations that were useful.