Illustrating dementia

Abstract

Debate about dementia commonly elicits horror and despair. Yet, dementia is a syndrome of many distinct brain disorders. While progression is expected, memory scores are highly variable in dementia. Illustration plays a part by emphasizing the shrivelled brain of advanced Alzheimer’s. Texts typically refer to wasting in the Alzheimer’s brain although it is selective and may be absent in some cases. Scans emphasize the anatomy of dementia rather than its variability and potential for relearning. Zombies have become associated with symptoms of dementia in both scholarly discourse and popular conversation. A combination of these metaphors and the implication of ‘brainless behaviour’ may contribute to the stigma around dementia and ‘malignant practices’ reported among care staff, such as mockery and disparagement, which disempower people with dementia. However, people with dementia can describe their own experience. An increasing number of memoirs, blogs and podcasts explore the subjective experience of living with dementia. Art by people with dementia reveals persistent creativity and may help them to retain a sense of identity and self-worth. My animated documentary, Mute, illustrates the past life of ‘Frank’, a man with advanced dementia. The technique of charcoal reduction, with its subtle residue of past images, is a metaphor for the selective memory loss typical of Alzheimer’s dementia. The theme of animation therapy in mental health and community arts has gained support in recent years. I discuss the scope for co-produced animations by people who have dementia and the skills required by arts health workers in this field.