This report describes the findings of a study designed to evaluate the efficacy of the Meet Me at MoMA program for people in the early stage of dementia and their family caregivers. This groundbreaking study provides the first formal evaluation that demonstrates, with both quantitative and qualitative evidence, the many benefits of making art accessible to people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. It also points out the elements of the program that have the greatest positive impact and those components that might be modified to further enhance its effects. This evaluation provides valuable information about the feasibility of assessing people in the early stage of dementia and suggests new directions for future programs and studies.

The research study focused on people in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease and their family caregivers, who together constitute the primary audience of the Meet Me at MoMA program. This cohort includes people with dementia who are most likely to be able to respond to and/or fill out the questionnaires, as well as their family members. Together they form a critical “dyad” for the Museum’s program, which offers potential benefits for each individually as well as potential for enhancing the relationship between them.

We further restricted subjects to those attending the program for the fifififirst time, for two reasons: 1) to identify a group with the same degree of exposure to the program; and 2) to reflect our expectation that the first visit might have the most powerful impact.

This report describes the findings of a study designed to evaluate the efficacy of the Meet Me at MoMA program for people in the early stage of dementia and their family caregivers. This groundbreaking study provides the first formal evaluation that demonstrates, with both quantitative and qualitative evidence, the many benefits of making art accessible to people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. It also points out the elements of the program that have the greatest positive impact and those components that might be modified to further enhance its effects. This evaluation provides valuable information about the feasibility of assessing people in the early stage of dementia and suggests new directions for future programs and studies.