Monday, May 9, 2011 - 12:25pm

The Geriatric Day Unit at the Veterans’ Memorial Building is filled with birds. Blue jays, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, nuthatches, owls and more sit among the branches of trees, the pale sky visible from behind. What you see is a piece of art brought to life by patients, family and staff. But it’s more than that – it’s confidence discovered, relationships strengthened, beauty created.

Julie Adamson-Miller is an artist-in-residence at Dalhousie Medical School. In March, she came to the Geriatric Day Unit to offer a four-session art workshop to patients, family members and staff. The workshops were sponsored by the Robert Pope Foundation.

Julie sketched out the life-sized silhouettes of local birds and a local company created wood cut-outs. As part of the project, patients, family members and staff were invited to attend workshops and paint a bird, using coloured images of birds as a guide.

“People weren’t sure what to expect at first,” says Julie. One of the participants shared, “I was initially apprehensive, but it became pleasurable almost immediately.”

What surprised many patients was not only their ability to paint, but the fact that this was a “real” art project. Julie and Carmen explain that in many settings that care for older adults, participants are given art projects that do not challenge their abilities. They recall a patient from Restorative Care who used to be a painter and came to the unit three times to contribute to the project. She shared, “This is a real art project. Usually they just give you stuff that’s for children.”

Carmen Johnstone-Chapman, social worker, championed the project and says it was therapeutic for staff – herself included – and for patients. “As I got going and saw the benefits, I couldn’t get enough.” She says the experience nurtured a very positive, supportive environment. “We laughed a lot, and we encouraged each other.”

Julie and Carmen point to different birds and tell the story that goes with each one. One was created by a patient whose motor skills have been affected by vascular dementia. Her daughter guided her hand to create the bird her mother envisioned. One gentleman was so inspired by the project that when he went home, he went to his woodshop and made a birdhouse and a squirrel to be added to the mural. A woman who is caregiver to her husband watched the project unfold and was inspired to create a similar work of art in their home. One woman continued to paint in the unit for weeks after the project was over, bringing painting supplies from home. Many participants from the exercise maintenance class in the Day Unit were curious about the project and decided to join the painting.

As a community artist, Julie has seen the power of art to connect people. “When you all sit down at a level table, people connect in a very different way.”

Now that the stunning mural is almost finished and the birds are all painted and carefully placed, patients are proudly bringing family members to see what they’ve created. “There’s a real sense of ownership,” says Carmen.

Staff, patients and families who visit the unit can hardly help but be cheered by the “Each bird has a story” mural – a testament to the power of art and connection.