Why participating in arts and culture matters to people and collaborating social services and organisations.
This research theme considers the impact of taking part in arts and culture, with an emphasis on social value and outcomes that are prioritised by health and social care services, including for example subjective wellbeing and skills development.
Signature project: House of Memories and the value of museums in dementia care
House of Memories is an internationally acclaimed dementia awareness programme led by National Museums Liverpool (NML) in the UK. The original programme, launched in 2012 at the Museum of Liverpool with funding from the Department of Health, was designed specifically for the health and social care workforce. The programme has since been developed and adapted for delivery in different professional environments and for a range of dementia care providers, supported by a package of supplementary, museum-inspired resources, including most notably the My House of Memories app.
Independent evaluation research, led by Kerry Wilson since 2013, consistently shows positive outcomes for participants, funding bodies and associated stakeholders. These include for example improvements in the subjective wellbeing of participating carers; improved awareness and understanding of dementia and its implications; empathic skills development in person-centred care; and renewed confidence in trying alternative, creative approaches to living well with dementia. It has also been possible to evidence the cumulative social value of different models of delivery, and the ‘cost benefit’ afforded to health commissioners, using social return on investment (SROI) analysis.
The multiple impacts of House of Memories – for participating health and social care professionals and carers; for health commissioners and stakeholders; and for NML as leaders and advocates in the culture, health and wellbeing field – can be framed as a strategic form of collaborative advantage. In this context, the use of social value research and SROI as a meta-analysis of the programme’s impact has helped to create a universal indicator of value across the programme’s extensive community of practice.
Further reading
Connecting with Yemeni Elders Heritage Evaluation Report
House of Memories: Care and equality in the UK museum sector
Valuing Family Carers: The impact of House of Memories as a museum-led dementia awareness programme