Integrated Arts-based Cognitive Stimulation Program for People with Dementia

Introduction

This project aims to develop and pilot a structured arts-based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) program for older adults living with dementia in India. Combining creative practices such as music, storytelling, visual arts, and textile making, the program is designed to support cognitive engagement, emotional expression, and wellbeing. This project responds to the need for culturally relevant, evidence-based dementia care that can be used across Indian clinical and community settings.

Scope

The project builds on the work of the Cognitive Neurology Clinic (CNC) at the Dhanvanthri Hospital Society, which specializes in the diagnosis and management of cognitive and mood disorders following dementia, stroke, and head injury, and the Foundation for Arts and Health India (FAHI), a coalition dedicated to embedding the arts within healthcare and community systems. Together, these partners bring complementary expertise in neurology, neuropsychology, arts-based practice, and community mental health, supporting the development of an evidence-informed and contextually grounded intervention for dementia care in India.

This study is also in partnership with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), which operates across Bangalore and Mysore and refers patients to Cogworks—an arts-based engagement program to support people living with dementia and their families.

Over the past year, Cogworks has further developed a more structured arts-based program tailored to dementia care in the Indian context. Activities such as block printing, weaving, storytelling, puppetry, and music have been piloted with participants and have received encouraging responses. Building on this practical foundation, the current phase of the project focuses on refining these activities into a structured, culturally relevant, and scalable intervention for dementia care in India.

Insights and Deliverables

This study will produce a structured and testable arts-based intervention program for people living with dementia in India.

Key outputs will be:

• To develop a structured arts-based intervention program grounded in cognitive stimulation principles for people with dementia. 
• To ensure the program is culturally appropriate, scalable, and accessible for diverse Indian populations. 
• To design and document a replicable, testable protocol suitable for research, clinical, and community application. 

• To pilot the program with a sample population and collect preliminary feedback and outcomes.

In the longer term, the project aims to strengthen the evidence base for arts-based dementia care and support more accessible, non-pharmacological approaches to wellbeing.

Project Team

This study is led by Dr. Charath Jwala Narayan, founder of Cogworks, in collaboration with Maitri Gopalakrishnan (FAHI), Dr. Ratnavalli Ellajosyula (CNC), and Dr. Nisha Sajnani, co-founder and co-director of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab (NYU Steinhardt). The program is hosted at the Dhanvanthri Hospital Society, Annaswamy Mudaliar General Hospital (AMGH), Bangalore, India.

Funding and Support

Support for this project is provided by the Jameel Arts & Health Lab at NYU Steinhardt.

Image Credit: Wings of Transformation - Artwork by Laura Bundesen