Arts & Minds Executive Director, Carolyn Halpin-Healy, provides extensive training, ongoing support and mentorship to teaching artists, staff and volunteers in our partner museums: The Studio Museum in Harlem, The New-York Historical Society and El Museo del Barrio.
In addition, we work with museums internationally to advise on development of programs that are mission-aligned to best serve audience needs. Whether you are seeking to get a new program off the ground or to improve practice in an existing program, we have the experience and expertise to help you. We assist museums in connecting with their local networks of care professionals, research neurologists and participants. Our approach, based on experience in the fields of art, dementia care and adult learning, is participant-centered and art-focused. Our training encompasses theory and practice to encourage museum staff, volunteers and artists to grow as effective program facilitators and to share the joy of art.
21 hour Training Program for museum professionals addresses the following topics:
- What is dementia?
- Symptoms and Behaviors of AD
- Emotional Needs of People with Dementia
- Needs of Professional and Family Caregivers
- Considerations for the audience
- Developing Effective Workshops
- Accessible Materials
- Inspiring Motivation
- Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Strategies
- Active Listening
- Object-based discussions
- Audience dynamic
- Practical considerations specific to the host museum
- Accommodations for visitors
To discuss a custom training program for your museum, please contact Carolyn Halpin-Healy, Co-Founder and Executive Director: chalpinhealy@artsandminds.org
Arts & Minds has provided training for:
- National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
- National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC
- The Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
- New-York Historical Society, New York
- The Jewish Museum, New York
- The Rubin Museum, New York
- New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans
- Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque
- Museum Serving Elders Professional Development Training Program, Taiwan
About Training Programs
More museums of every type are expanding their programming to reach the growing audience of people with dementia and their care partners. While Arts & Minds is rooted in art museums, we also work with museums focused on history, culture, architecture and design, as well as botanical gardens and other living collections. Each training program is custom designed in partnership with the staff in order to align the mission of the museum with the needs of the audience.
Arts & Minds provides a 12 – 21 hour customized training program for museum staff and docents preparing new programs for people living with dementia. We also offer professional development and support to museums with established programs. Sample 21 hour training program may include the following topics:
Day 1
- Introduction to Arts & Minds and the History of Museum Programs for People with Dementia
- The Social Work of Museums
- What is Dementia?
- Person Centered Care
- The Needs of Professional and Family Caregivers
- Art & Compassion
- Active Listening
Day 2
- Impact of Alzheimer’s disease on the brain
- Stages of Alzheimer’s disease
- Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms of Dementia
- Interpreting Behaviors:
- Behavior has Meaning
- Verbal and Non-Verbal Forms of Communication
- Communication Strategies
- Emotions Outlast the Memories that Drive Them
Day 3
- Choosing Objects and Designing Activities
- Program logistics
- Focus on Caregivers
- Living with Dementia
- Art-Making Workshop