Why Are Alzheimer's Patients More Creative than They Were Before?

Marilyn Raichle founded the Art of Alzheimer’s and had her first showcase in 2016 at Seattle City Hall. From that point on, the exhibition toured to Harborview Medical Center and the University of Washington School of Social Work. The organization soon grew bigger and was adapted to be more inclusive by adding programs like events, exhibitions, community discussions and grassroots outreach, and creative arts workshops.

In 2017, workshops run through the Arts for Alzheimer’s organization were offered in several areas throughout Yakima. The culminating result was an exhibit titled “The Artist Within: A Different View of Dementia,” which opened on March 9th.

Raichle went on to say that it is her “sincere hope that this is the start of more dementia-inclusive creative arts programs in Yakima and throughout Washington state. The number of people living with dementia is growing, and the arts show us that while memories may fade, attention spans shorten, and language falter, the imagination can soar.”