canada leading the way in arts-based therapy for alzheimer’s disease
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“we are observing an increase in the number of organizations that are working in the area of arts and health, and in particular alzheimer’s,” says lise ann johnson, director general of arts granting programs at canada council for the arts.
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across canada, seniors are putting on their boogie shoes. they’re belting out songs, picking up paintbrushes, and taking to the stage.
but more than revelling in the life artistic, they’re addressing what is for many a debilitating condition.
about 750,000 canadians are living with alzheimer’s disease or dementia, according to statistics canada, and that number will spike as the population ages. traditional treatments include medication and lifestyle changes, but research increasingly shows that the arts can bridge the gap between body and brain in ways that other interventions can’t.
it’s medicine through music, therapy through theatre, even healing through the harlem shake. and canada is becoming a leader in arts-based therapy in recreation centres, long-term care homes, theatres, and galleries from coast to coast.
“we are observing an increase in the number of organizations that are working in the area of arts and health, and in particular alzheimer’s,” says lise ann johnson, director general of arts granting programs at canada council for the arts. “there’s a big opportunity for the arts to play a non-pharmacological role in improving health and well-being for people who have alzheimer’s or dementia.”
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johnson cites a 2019 world health organization report, which suggests that the arts can promote health and prevent the onset of mental illness and age-related physical decline. elsewhere, studies show that singing and music therapies can lessen depressive symptoms and improve cognition in dementia patients.
dance-based therapies, meanwhile, can boost cognition, memory, balance, and mood. and a randomized controlled trial of visual arts programs this year showed better communication and quality of life for adults with dementia, plus lower stress for caregivers. arts therapies also encourage socializing for both those with alzheimer’s and those who care for them.
what does all that look like in practice? toronto-based danceabilities offers workshops for clients with dementia and alzheimer’s. in montreal, the national centre for dance therapy has classes designed to delay the progression of the disease. and the alzheimer society’s countrywide music project provides free personalized playlists to support those with dementia.
johnson names the art gallery of hamilton as a pioneer with several successful initiatives.
“every month they offer an opportunity for people who are living with dementia and their friends and families to tour the gallery,” she says. “it’s not a regular tour — it’s designed specifically for people who have dementia or alzheimer’s. it’s not just ‘come and see this pretty painting.’”
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johnson says canada council for the arts has given the gallery funding to create a tool kit and platform that helps other organizations follow suit.
in calgary, a deaf and disability arts community called inside out theatre has landed on johnson’s radar. it worked with an alzheimer’s organization to create an improv program for people with the disease.
“it’s not necessarily to produce a show or a play. it’s the idea that in improv, there’s no wrong answer. it’s collaborative,” says johnson. “you can build on an idea, and it’s a way of being creative and creating meaning. but you don’t need memory recall. you don’t need a high level of language.”
for all the programs connecting alzheimer’s and arts-based therapy in canada, there’s still room for improvement. johnson says initiatives in the united kingdom could inspire breakthroughs.
“there’s more policy, there’s more funding, there’s more collaboration in this area,” she explains, noting the country’s social prescribing model. “through a nurse practitioner or a doctor, you could be prescribed the arts. so it’s something that you could potentially have insurance coverage for, or subsidized access to programs.”
johnson points out that in canada, the bc alliance for arts + culture’s arts on prescription pilot project is similar. but public policy changes, more research, and increased investment in arts-based therapy can drive further progress.
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“there’s a good economic argument for that because, with an aging population, with an overburdened health care system, not everything can be treated by doctors and hospitals,” she says.
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this article was originally published in the national post on january 15, 2026.
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