People with functional diversity and promoting active ageing through artistic mediation. A case study

Abstract

The care of older people with intellectual disabilities or in the process of ageing is one of the current social challenges. The aim of this article is to analyse the perception of the professionals of a day centre, which cares for people with intellectual disabilities in the Region of Murcia (Spain), on the use of artistic mediation or education through art in the intervention. This is a case study that has used a mixed methodology, combining instruments such as the interview and the questionnaire, with an exploratory and descriptive approach. The questionnaire consisted of a Likert-type response scale. The information obtained through interviews was also analysed qualitatively. The results show that all the people surveyed consider art to be an essential tool for socio-educational intervention and, especially, for promoting personal enrichment, social skills and autonomy. They also perceive that the use of this methodology also poses difficulties for intervention, such as the adaptation and design of activities to the needs of the target group or the need for specific training. However, they believe that it is an instrument with great potential for improving quality of life and promoting active ageing. In short, the article allows us to reflect on the conceptions, opportunities and challenges of artistic mediation in the promotion of active ageing of people with low functional performance at an intellectual level as a particularly vulnerable group.