LAKELAND, Fla. — A Polk County art program is helping people with Alzheimer’s.
Dennis Krupinski has always been creative. He worked as a painter for Disney for 25 years before retiring.
“I was having trouble doing my job and remembering the tools that I need to go out to do my job,” Krupinski said.
The 55-year-old was diagnosed with early onset dementia nine years ago.
“I have cognitive issues, so the more I do other things, just explore things and keep busy is very important,” he said.
The Art Connects ALZ program allows Krupinski to keep his mind busy by tapping into his creative side.
The free program held by the Alzheimer’s Association and Polk Museum of Art is designed for people in the early stages of dementia. Participants get to create and appreciate art and its various forms, stimulating their cognitive processes.
“For me, it’s an escape for your mind to go other places,” Krupinski said.
Research suggests that artistic engagement may help to ease common behavioral symptoms of dementia, including anxiety and depression, and possibly help stimulate memory.
Art Connects ALZ program facilitator Tinia Clark said the program also acts as a catalyst for consistent socialization.
“It gets them out of facilities and out of being homebound and gives them an opportunity to be in the regular world, where they can look at things and have an opinion and there’s not really a right or wrong,” Clark said.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than 580,000 Floridians are living with Alzheimer's, making programs like Art Connects ALZ an important lifeline for many.
