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EVALUATION OF A MUSEUM EXPERIENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH AD AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. Mary Mittelman, DrPH Center of Excellence on Brain Aging NYU Langone Medical Center. Participants and Eligibility. People in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease Their family caregivers
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EVALUATION OF A MUSEUM EXPERIENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH AD AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS Mary Mittelman, DrPH Center of Excellence on Brain Aging NYU Langone Medical Center
Participants and Eligibility • People in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease • Their family caregivers • First time participants in Meet Me at MoMA.
Assessment Battery • Self rating scales (Modified for person with dementia) • Intake and follow-up • Instant reaction – Smiley Faces • Take home evaluation to be mailed back • Observer rated scales • Individual • Group • Qualitative assessment • Written expansion of quantitative scales • Focus groups.
Procedures • First Visit/ Intake • Introduction by MoMA staff • Consent form • Study protocol • Lunch • Meet Me at MoMA • Take home evaluations distributed to be sent back to MoMA • Second Visit (8 days after the first visit)/ Follow-up • Call from MoMA staff reconfirming the time and date of visit • Complete the follow-up assessment • Lunch • Special interactive talk/discussion with educator • Gifts of appreciation • Free passes and invited to stay and visit that day • Third Visit/ Focus group • Participants, museum staff and NYU researchers • In-depth exploration of reactions to the Meet Me at MoMA.
Observations: Individuals • Adaptation of a nursing home form • Two observers per participant • Categories • Engagement • Looking at painting • Looking at educator • Responding to educator • Negative reactions.
Observations: Group • Interactions/responses of pwd were greater with educator than with caregiver • Laughing, joking as signs of group cohesion built through the 3rd picture • Working subgroups cohesive but caregiver led • Overall tone of groups was warm • Global impressions clear - ENGAGED AND IN A GOOD MOOD.
Limitations of observations • Difficult to “decode” behavior: looking, staring (at picture, at educator?) • Could not hear conversations • Did not have adequate mechanism to track cross-talk.
Take-home questionnaires • Quantitative and qualitative components: precoded and write-in sections • Modified for person with dementia • Remarkable rate of return response.
Caregiver responses to take-home evaluations • What attracted you to the program? (Precoded question) • Opportunity for person with memory problems to take part in an activity • An activity to do with person with memory problems • Other: trust in person who recommended the program.
Caregiver responses to take-home evaluations • Did you enjoy the experience? • 97.5% said yes • 97.5% also thought their relative enjoyed the experience What surprised you about the response of the person with dementia? Degree of engagement of person with dementia
Caregiver responses to take-home evaluations • What was the best thing about the museum visit? • Positive experience created by educators and staff • What effects did you observe in your relative? • Better mood • More responsive to environment • More interactive and talkative.
Caregiver take-home evaluation: Overall impression • Caregivers valued the opportunity to share an experience with their relative with dementia that was also enjoyable for them • The educators and the staff make the program the success that it is.
Caregiver take-home evaluation Quotation from caregiver • “I can’t begin to express the gratitude I feel for the Meet Me at MoMA program: … the docents, the privacy and the magnificent art combine to make for an exhilarating experience. Since my husband’s decline, there are fewer opportunities for us to experience normal environments. The MoMA event with its thoughtful design and compassionate staff make it possible for my husband and me to both participate as a “normal” couple, as responsive viewers of great art.”
Take home evaluation for people with dementia • What was the best thing about your visit? • The educators • Discussing the artwork • Did you observe any change in yourself after the program? • Enhanced my self esteem
Focus group discussions • Two focus groups • 4-5 couples who had participated in the study approximately 3 months earlier • Focus guide provided structure for discussion and consistency across groups.
Focus group: Caregiver responses • What did you like about the program? • A place to go together • The joy for me was watching him (husband with dementia • Educators and staff are great • The activity, doing it together.
Focus group: Caregiver responses • What did you get out of the program as a couple? • You are completely free in this environment. I don’t have to be concerned about what my husband will do • I like that it makes my wife happy • Would you recommend any changes? • More venues for contact • Contact list • Tea after the tour. “Its kind of a drastic ending to a very nice experience and we really don’t get to know each other”
Focus group: Responses of people with dementia • What did you like about the program? • It’s a validating experience • No stigma about having AD • I have something to discuss with my family • What did you get out of it as a couple? • We talk about it on the way home
Focus group: Final question • Is there anything you want to tell the “boss”? • “Just how much we appreciate the program. The diagnosis of AD changes your life and to know that somebody is interested in making it better really means a lot”
Observations • Participants attended intakes and follow-ups in spite of harsh weather conditions • People in the early stage can respond to appropriate scales with support • We have identified the scales that measured significant effects of the intervention • The desire for more such experiences for the couple was poignantly and repeatedly expressed.
Summary • The information obtained by different approaches to data collection supported and enhanced the conclusions: • The experience was validating and pleasurable for the couple • The educators and staff created a nurturing and stimulating environment central to the MoMA experience • We now have evidence for the efficacy of the MoMA program • Meet Me at MoMA provides a valued and important experience for participants and should be replicated broadly.