Kofoworola Grace

Drama Therapy as an Intervention for Older Adults with Dementia: A Systematic Review

Kofoworola Grace

New York University

Kgo9038@nyu.edu

In the United States, about 4.0 million persons 65 and older suffered from dementia in 2015. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015, dementia is a syndrome characterized by a collection of symptoms associated with cognitive deficits that are severe enough to interfere with daily activities. While there is no cure for dementia, non-pharmacological treatments such as expressive art might help patients use their creative strengths. Drama therapy research has recently gained significant value in treating dementia patients. This paper reviews existing literature on the effects of drama therapy in improving the quality of life of older adults living with dementia and co-occurring dementia symptoms such as Alzheimer disease. Based on existing works of research that have been published from 2000-2024, this review examines the results from peer reviewed studies and books that have evaluated drama therapy intervention strategies such as storytelling, role playing, and embodied experience, the use of metaphors, and improvisation and other drama strategies for their potential to improve this population emotional, social, and psychological well-being. This review highlights the growing evidence supporting drama therapy as a significant and workable intervention for older adults with dementia and highlights the need for more research on this population to strengthen the application of drama therapy and standardize its protocol, thereby leading to a more individualized and holistic approach to dementia care for older adults and their family.

Key words: drama therapy, dementia care, older adult, holistic health, United States

BIOGRAPHY

Kofoworola Owokotomo is a Nigerian theater director, educator, and community development activist. As a child, she was set on becoming a legal practitioner until her fifth year in secondary school when she got the opportunity to direct a theater performance where she realized the power of Art and Embodied Expression to shift mindsets and build a strong community irrespective of differences. With over 5 years of experience in facilitating  community development through applied theater techniques in Nigeria and the US, she is committed to the intentional and systematic use of theatre techniques such as storytelling, imagination, and embodied learning to achieve therapeutic goals and promote a space for social justice to thrive in diverse communities. She has facilitated applied theatre projects on gender, sexism, quality education, gun violence, and immigration. In 2020, she was selected to participate in the Association of Commonwealth Universities Summer School where she had the opportunity to share her practice with students around the world. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the university of Ibadan, Nigeria and a Masters degree from Emerson College, Boston. She is currently an MA student of Drama Therapy at NYU Steinhardt.