STAAs Benefits

STAA monitors how people respond to sessions while they are receiving them*. This feedback gives us evidence that people value and enjoy their experiences.

STAA helps older people to stay mentally and physically well; sessions maintain a person’s mental well being, they ‘keep people’s spirits up’.

STAA supports people in the early stages of dementia to live at home helping them to maintain their skills for as long as possible. Sessions may contribute to slowing down the decline of skills.

STAA supports people recovering from mental illness to return home after a hospital stay. Sessions become part of the support package for that person on their discharge.

Sessions alleviate symptoms of depression; people are diverted and focus on the activity rather than their illness. They give people a new purpose in life by supporting them to start a new hobby or to revisit an activity they have stopped. Sessions provide human contact and help in a weekly routine. People can try new things, gain confidence in participating and take pride in their achievements.

For people in the later stages of dementia creative activities provide the opportunity for breakthroughs in communication and moments of pleasure with people who spend a lot of time in their own world.

Carers have sessions themselves as a respite from the caring role. Sessions provide the opportunity for the carer to have a short break while STAA artists work with the person they care for. An activity can be an opportunity for a carer and person they care for to share something enjoyable together.

STAA supports people during life changing events such as moving to different accommodation for people no longer able to live the family home. STAA creative groups are set up to assist the individual to settle and make friends. Creative activities in care settings provide a stimulus and focus for residents and staff: an ‘event’ in a day to add variety. There is a cascading effect of skills-sharing and passing on techniques to care staff.

* Feedback tools-
• Artists make a written record of events and responses after each session, including an assessment of non verbal responses to try to determine people’s mood at the beginning, during and at the end of a session.
• Artists make a written record of verbal feedback from participants.
• Participants complete a questionnaire with artist or co-ordinator after a number of sessions.
• Comments from carers and referring person about progress recorded. A record of artwork or music produced is used as an aide-memoir and as evidence of session content.

Evaluation - How STAA measures its progress.

STAA records responses of participants during a session. Artists record any comments and make a written record of what happened. STAA gathers opinions about the activity itself and how people felt taking part. Sessions are evaluated by looking at their impact on the well being of the participant and whether the aims for the person or group identified at the beginning have been achieved. STAA initially provides ten sessions of activities. These are reviewed and a decision is made whether to extend them, with possible changes in frequency: sessions might change to fortnightly or monthly rather than weekly. STAA provides a limited number of sessions working towards specific care objectives.

In 2004 an STAA’s work was independently evaluated by Professor David Jolley and Kate Read of DementiaPlus West Midlands.

“The work of STAA goes across boundaries. It is used by health and Social Services….it is accessed through voluntary organisations, age related and cross cultural. This provides a sense of sharing and cohesion.”

“It gives an option for older people, particularly those with mental health problems, of adding something to their lives.”