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Impact of Arts Participation on Health Outcomes for Older Adults

Melissa Castora-Binkley and Linda Noelker
Katz Policy Institute, Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging

Thomas Prohaska, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago,

William Satariano, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley

Abstract

The objective of this study was to present findings from a literature review on the documented health benefits of arts programs for older adults. A systematic literature review was conducted to examine research publications on participatory arts programs for older adults and their reported impact on health outcomes. A total of 2,205 articles were found. Of these, 11 were eligible for inclusion. The review describes the effects of participation in art programs on a variety of health outcomes. The small number of empirical studies documenting the health impact and limitations in their design prohibit broad generalizations, however, findings suggest there are physical and mental health benefits for older adults from arts participation.

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Published in Journal of Aging, Humanities, and the Arts, 4:352–367, 2010