Drama therapy with older people with dementia—Does it improve quality of life?

• We ask if drama therapy improves quality of life (QoL) of people with dementia.
• We compare two groups of elderly people: drama therapy and diversional movie-watching.
• Quantitatively: mean drama therapy QoL score increases, movie-watching score decreases.
• Qualitatively: drama therapy positively associated with significant attributes of QoL.
• Drama therapy is found to be a promising intervention for people with dementia.

This article describes a pilot study that aimed to evaluate the effect of drama therapy on the quality of life (QoL) of elderly people with mild to moderate dementia, using a mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) approach.Study participants (N = 13; age range 61–88 years; 1 female) were Australians of European descent, principally with Alzheimer's disease, living in the community in an east-coast Australian context. The drama therapy group (N = 4) was compared with a group of participants (N = 9) who watched movies over a four-month period. All participants were assessed for QoL using the quantitative Quality of Life Alzheimer's Disease (QoL-AD) scale of Logsdon, Gibbons, McCurry, & Teri (1999, Journal of Mental Health and Aging 5, 21) prior to and following 16 group meetings. Qualitative data were generated and examined using phenomenological methods including recording and transcribing body language and dialogue, as well as narrative, ethnography, group themes and metaphor.Although not statistically significantly different, the average QoL-AD score increased for the drama therapy group while it decreased for the movie group. Qualitative findings established an unambiguous participant ability to express ideas and feelings through drama therapy as well as an unveiling of conscious awareness of participants’ own wellbeing and QoL. The findings also indicate the potential worth of a future larger study along the lines exemplified here.