Debbie Brittain
Debbie Brittain works in the Learning team at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) and is interested in life-long learning for all ages and abilities. Debbie is a gallery educator who has developed and facilitates QAGOMA’s Art and Dementia Program, to provide access to QAGOMA's Collection for visitors living with dementia, and their care partner. The program aims to enhance well-being of gallery visitors living with dementia using a therapeutic, non-pharmacological intervention model.
The program is underpinned by an evidence-based approach. Debbie has benchmarked best practice and translates learnings from her Bachelor of Dementia Care studies into a holistic gallery-based model of care that supports quality of life of program participants. The program is shaped around contemporary dementia care principles and focuses on ability and strengths rather than disability. It supports mood and cognitive function through a specially curated visual, auditory, environmental, and sensory format, with socialisation and autonomy being key. The program was the first face-to-face on-site (non-virtual) audience program to recommence post-COVID-19 closure at QAGOMA. This came about due to overwhelming requests from this already marginalised and isolated community group who were seeking meaningful engagement and social interaction.
The QAGOMA program and staff were acknowledged by Dementia Australia in 2021 as a Dementia-Friendly Organisation, the first institution in Brisbane's Cultural Centre Precinct to be receive this recognition. QAGOMA's Art and Dementia Program received the large workplace award at the 2022 Queensland Mental Health Week Achievement Awards.
Abstracts this author is presenting: