‘Can You See What I See?’: An Art Project Promoting Living Well with Dementia

Credentials Display

Jennifer Fortuna, PhD., OTR/L

Abstract

Caroline Hyland, an illustrator and former occupational therapist based in Dublin, Ireland, provided the cover art for the Winter 2023 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Can You See What I See?” is an acrylic painting on black textured paper. The piece was inspired by Caroline’s grandmother Kathleen Duhig, her love of flowers, and the song “The Dutchman.” Kathleen and three of her sisters lived with dementia. This painting, and several others, are featured in a book Caroline wrote to support living well with dementia. By combining her artistic talents and training as an occupational therapist, Caroline advocates for a society that sees people first, not the disease, dementia.

Recommended Citation

Fortuna, J. K. (2023). ‘Can You See What I See?’: An Art Project Promoting Living Well with Dementia. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 11(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.2157