BRINGING ART TO LIFE

Neurologist Potts draws from his late father’s immersion in watercolor painting after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis to explore art’s role in dementia care.

The book’s first section describes Bringing Art to Life, a service-learning program Potts founded and directs that pairs high school and undergraduate students with people experiencing dementia or other cognitive disorders. In the program, the students—who often have family members with dementia and/or are preparing for healthcare careers—engage in art therapy and storytelling with their partners. The second section focuses on the stories of program participants. Readers meet subjects like Mr. Donny, a 76-year-old with dementia. Despite being unable to drive, work, remember most of his family members’ names, or use the bathroom unassisted, Donny thrust himself wholeheartedly into shoebox art and pumpkin painting. Potts shares his original poetry, inspired by BATL participants and his father’s experience with Alzheimer’s disease, in the third section: “There’s a Face that’s not forgotten. / There’s a Person in the pain. / There’s a Hand stretched out from Heaven. / There’s a Heart that knows your name.” The fourth section includes 31 lessons from the BATL program, like, “It is much better to be kind than to be right.” In the fifth and final section of the book, Potts reflects on how BATL has been transformative for himself and others by bringing art into their lives and “showing each other back to [themselves].” Potts’ writing is emotionally resonant, deeply humanizing, and celebrates the dignity and creativity of all people. The engaging anecdotes and personal reflections will help readers gain a new perspective on dementia. Potts’ participant descriptions are vivid: “He looked like something that had been rooted for decades in a West Alabama river bottom, like a Tombigbee tupelo or a Sipsey bald cypress.” He also writes vulnerably about feeling “panicked helplessness, fear, resentment, depression, self-pity, and shame” following his father’s diagnosis. However, those looking for concrete caregiving tips may find the book lacking practical guidance.

A tender exploration of art and dementia that prioritizes storytelling over advice.