This is the data set reported in the article, Arts-based interventions for people living with dementia: Measuring ‘in the moment’ wellbeing with the Canterbury Wellbeing Scales, Wellcome Open Research (2021). The dataset contains raw data from arts-based programs that were analysed in the study including composite Canterbury Wellbeing Scales (CWS) scores and scores from all five subscales. Also included are the types of venues the interventions took place and the corresponding activity (intervention), whether a carer was present, number of sessions and whether the sessions were co-created. Demographic information including type of dementia and years diagnosed, age and gender are also provided.

This data set contains the raw data from the Canterbury Wellbeing Scales that were used in this study funded by the Wellcome Trust: Camic, Dickens, Zeilig & Strohmaier (2021). Subjective wellbeing in people living with dementia: exploring processes of multiple object handling sessions in a museum setting, and published in Wellcome Open Research, 6: 96. https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/6-96/v2.

The abstract for the article:

Background: Dementia care guidance highlights the importance of supporting people living with dementia to access engaging and meaningful activities to promote their quality of life. There is a growing evidence base for the efficacy of heritage settings and arts-based interventions to provide social prescribing opportunities to help support wellbeing in this population. This study extended previous research and explored the potential processes underlying this effect in multiple small group object handling sessions in a museum setting.

Methods: A mixed-methods design was used comprising a measure of subjective wellbeing and thematic analysis to explore in-the-moment session content across multiple sessions. Four people with dementia participated in three, one-hour group object handling sessions led by two facilitators.

Results: Pre-post wellbeing scores showed increases after each session though this was largely not significant. Qualitative findings provided more compelling results, however, and identified four key themes: facilitating, interest in exploring objects, active participation, and group collaboration; interpretations were made around the dynamic interaction of themes and subthemes over the course of three sessions.

Conclusions: This is the first study we are aware of that has taken an in-depth look at multiple museum-based group object handling sessions for people living with dementia Findings offer ways to optimise object handling sessions for people with dementia by providing in-depth information about the processes involved across multiple object handling sessions facilitated by museum/heritage professionals in a museum setting. This has useful implications for community-based activities as part of dementia care planning and public health programming. . The study contributes to a deeper understanding and elucidates the processes that enhance wellbeing for this population who participate in such sessions. It also helps to develop further theoretical understanding about why these types of activities are helpful in community-based dementia care. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.