Creative Journeys Report 2019

14 Creative Journeys (i) Baseline and endpoint quantitative data Using measures of well-being and social relationships via three validated instruments: the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS: Tennant et al., 2007), the measure of relational bonding (Pearce et al. 2016), and a measure of collective bonding – the Inclusion of Other in Self (IOS) scale (Aron, Aron and Smollan, 1992; Gächter, Starmer, and Tufano, 2015). (ii) Observation and visual methods Three researchers (two of the ARU research team and one member of the OPRGE) observed four of the arts activity sessions in each of the three care homes. Structured observations were made using the Social Interaction in Residential Settings (SIRS) observation schedule; a bespoke tool developed for the project to capture triggers and mechanisms as well as an unstructured observation to capture wider contextual details. Observations also took place at two ‘showcase’ events by two of the arts organisations: Age Exchange (a film viewing of the film they produced with the residents) and Sinfonia Viva with Orchestras Live (performance of care home residents with a live orchestra in a local community venue). (iii) Interviews and focus groups Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted at the end of the programme (within three days of the last session) with residents, activities coordinators, care staff, relatives and care home managers and again three months later with residents, activities coordinators, care staff, and care home managers. Unfortunately one care home closed before the three month follow-up interviews. Flexible topic guides were developed for each of the participant groups which explored the experience of the programme, impacts on those individuals who took part and impacts on the home as a whole. In addition factors that enabled or challenged the building of relationships were explored as well as whether there were any sustainable or long-term impacts. The range of methods enabled the phenomenon to be investigated from three different lenses and to be explored in the context in which it occurred. Central to the design was exploring what individuals gained through arts activities that contributed to building, maintaining or enhancing social relationships. 3.3.2 Stage one: summary In stage one, a total of 19 residents took part in the baseline and end-point measures, and 12 observations were completed. With regards to interviews and focus groups, 20 individual residents, 12 staff members (including care managers, activities coordinators, and care staff), 2 family members, and 6 arts facilitators took part (totalling 40 individual participants see Table 1 for details).