Psychophysiological effects of stimulation with pictures of works of art in old age.

The present article reports on a controlled intervention study concerning the effects of non-directed use of pictures of works of art as a way of stimulating institutionalized elderly women. After the stimulation period differences in ratings between the groups indicated improved well-being in the intervention group. Such improvement was not seen in the C-group. The quantitative analyses of the results reveal a significant change of the parameters happiness, peacefulness, creativeness, social activities and systolic blood pressure. The qualitative analysis shows that the conversations about pictures of works of art in the intervention group give the person free rein to her own imagination and are merely characterized by happiness. In the control group the conversations are to a great extent characterized by downheartedness, despair and complaining.