Olfaction, Réalité Virtuelle et Art en Santé (OREVAS)

Creator: Cognition Behaviour Technology (COBTEK)|Art form: Perfume|Knowledge valorisation : Co-creation|Place: Nice,France|Location : Hybrid|Target group: Elderly people|Domains: Health|Duration : Participatory process that results in an event
©CobteK
©CobteK

Art and Health trial to measure the contribution of olfactory stimulation in art workshops

Challenge: Compare the effectiveness of an artistic activity on the quality of life and state of health (between art workshops with and without olfactory stimulation

The intervention is a participative activity based on art and olfactory stimulation which consists of group art practice under supervision, involving participants directly in the creative process, allowing them to become co-authors of the work. creative process, enabling them to become co-authors of the work.
The olfactory stimuli developed by a partner perfumer (Payan Bertrand) and have been designed in collaboration with the artists involved. in collaboration with the artists involved in the workshops.

The face-to-face participants met once a week for a 2-hour workshop in a dedicated space adapted to adapted to the health circumstances and respecting social distancing measures. During month period there 4 successive workshops called sessions took place. Because of the health crisis, the workshops were offered in several groups of between 10 and 15 participants and met over two days.

Disclaimer: The description of this SEED is based on publicly available information, here

Resources needed

The project has brought together a number of different players who have joined forces and used a variety of resources. For example, the perfumer Bertrand Payan, who is supplying the supplies and developing the olfactory stimulants (perfumer: Aude Galouye) and the association IA (Association Innovation Alzheimer – Affect Autisme) for the development of the face-to-face and VR workshops. Cleven is responsible for developing the virtual reality tool in indirect immersive mode (on a tablet) and direct immersive mode (on a VR headset). This research project has also received financial support from Nice University Hospital. The city of Nice supported the project by distributing it to all its senior citizen contacts.
The other partners in the Art and Health project are the MAMAC museum, which is providing artistic advice and manufacturing some of the VR equipment (photography), the 109 structure (Nice’s contemporary culture centre), which is hosting the exhibition, the Institut Claude Pompidou and the Nice CHU’s CMRR, which is hosting the workshop.

Purpose of artistic intervention

The artistic workshops enabled the identification of early markers of neurodegenerative disorders (apathy and olfactory identification) and also to create a social interactions amongst the senior citizens. The artistic dimension also contributes to the emotional stimulation to limit the risk of developing disorders.

Positive impacts

Improvement in participants’ state of health and influence on early markers of cognitive decline (prevention)

Replication

The Centre for Excellence and Longevity at Mac Gill University in Montreal wanted to replicate its Art-Health project by collaborating with different research structures around the world, including Université Côte d’Azur.