A new art exhibition called ‘The Art of Keeping Well’ will open to the public on Saturday 17 January at the Lighthouse gallery in Poole.
The exhibition includes paintings, postcards and photographs exploring experiences of caring, memory loss, and ageing well. The artworks are a collaboration between local artists, family carers, local charities and researchers from Bournemouth University (BU). It aims to encourage audiences to understand more about with the realities of caring for loved ones and consider what people need to live well in later life.
Lead Researcher, Dr Natalie Djohari, from BU’s ‘Centre for Seldom Heard Voices’, HEMS, who organised the exhibition said: “The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that 1 in 3 people living with dementia do not have a diagnosis. The research findings from our ‘Waiting Well’ project found this was often due to denial, not recognising early symptoms, difficulty seeking help, or long delays waiting for a diagnosis.
“Prior to diagnosis, family carers are supporting loved ones without support and guidance, increasing the risk of crisis-driven care, avoidable hospital admissions, and carer burnout. Our research sought to capture these early experiences and identify what support could be offered sooner.”
As part of the research, local carers were invited to share their experiences. One family carer supporting a parent spoke about the period before diagnosis saying: “I feel very alone in this waiting period. It was 6 months to the Memory Assessment and now we have to wait 5 or 6 months to go back for the diagnosis.”
Another family carer supporting a parent with dementia spoke about the lack of information available, saying: “You don’t know what you don’t know – and nobody tells you.”
The ‘Waiting Well’ project was a collaboration between BU and local charity Help&Care who operate Dorset’s Dementia Coordinator Service. Des Persse, Director of Services from Help&Care said: “Memory concerns and dementia can be traumatic dynamics for individuals and families. Health and social care systems can be complex to navigate. It shouldn't be up to the patient to figure it out - especially in times of crisis.”
Features of the exhibition include:
‘Stay’, a painting by local artist Adilson Naueji that illuminates the often-invisible world of family carers, inspired by the ‘Caring and Working’ research project.
‘Beyond the Lines’, a black-and-white portrait series created by members of In Jolly Good Company, a dementia friendly charity that works creatively with older people living in Dorset. The photographs challenge the viewer to move beyond the stereotypes and recognise how older people are still vibrant, creative individuals with a rich life story to tell.
‘Waiting Well', a collection of 112 collage postcards created alongside community artist Casey Brett that represent the experiences of family carers, memory loss and dementia, and what people need to keep them well in life. Together, they capture the stories, concerns, and everyday moments of joy and connection that sustain individuals and families into later life.
Dr Djohari hopes that the research improves support for families waiting for a dementia diagnosis and highlights the need for inclusive, age-friendly communities, saying: “Family carers play a critical yet largely invisible role in our communities. This exhibition provides an important opportunity to bring their experiences to the fore and to hear directly about the support and information they say are essential to sustain their caring role. Reaching families earlier has the potential to prevent these outcomes and improve well-being for carers and the people they support across the dementia pathway.”
The Waiting Well project was led by Dr Natalie Djohari (Bournemouth University) in partnership with Help&Care and supported by PramaLife and In Jolly Good Company. It was funded by NIHR ARC Wessex.
The exhibition will run from 17 January through to 28 February, Top Floor Gallery, Lighthouse, Poole, and is free to enter.
