Painting in situ: the benefits of live mural painting for residents on two secure long-term care dementia units.

Quality of life in long-term care is a growing concern for clinicians and social scientists. Attention is turning increasingly to the impact of the institutional environment on residents' experience of themselves and others. In an effort to improve residents' experience, distraction and illusion murals are being created to disguise exit doors and decrease exit-seeking behaviour. Most research focuses on the effect on exitseeking behaviour once murals are complete. This paper will discuss benefits for residents in terms of sustained attention and aesthetic awareness, memory and gender identity and community-building that were realized during the painting in situ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]