Investigating the Effects of a Museum Intervention on the Psychological and Cardiac Health of Older Adults

HeART-BRAIN : Investigating the Effects of a Museum Intervention on the Psychological and Cardiac Health of Older Adults With and Without Atrial Fibrillation

In a recent report, the World Organization for Health provided some evidence that artistic and cultural activities can support the health and well-being of the population. Our previous research suggests that the effect of museum visits on well-being and stress might be tied to relaxing proprieties of contact with art objects, especially when the artwork is viewed with an introspective and self-reflexive approach. This study addresses the effect of a well-being museum intervention of six weeks on cerebral activity associated with artwork contemplation during a museum visit and assesses how it affects the psychological and cardiovascular health of older adults with and without atrial fibrillation. The well-being intervention will engage the participant in a series of 6 visits, in groups of 10, oriented on his feelings, impressions, and interpretations of artworks. This well-being museum intervention will be compared to visits typically provided in the museum, in a cross-over single-blinded design.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men/women aged 50 and over,
• Presenting normal or corrected vision and hearing,
• With or without controlled Atrial fibrillation,
• No specific expertise in visual arts (official degree or training relating to the visual arts),
• Occasionally attended museums and exhibitions (≤ 6 times per year).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Score > 5/15 on the geriatric depression scale,
• Score on the telephone version of the MMSE < 19,
• Psychiatric or neurological diagnosis,
• Presence of major functional limitations likely to affect the individual's ability to stand and walk independently.