Jena, 21.03.2026 – An innovative art project by students from the Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule (EAH) Jena combines biography work with creative expression. Under the title „Alte Hände – Neue Bilder“, seniors put their most valuable life memories on paper.
- Project Name: „Alte Hände – Neue Bilder“
- Initiators: Three students from the Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena
- Methodology: Memory activation through music, scents, and haptic objects
- Exhibition: The vernissage took place last Wednesday at the Katharinenhof.
The art project impressively demonstrates how creative approaches can work in senior care. The initiators’ goal was to provide older people with a new form of non-verbal expression while simultaneously mobilizing cognitive resources.
Sensory Stimuli as a Bridge to the Past
The students’ methodology aimed to gently bring buried memories to the surface. Instead of relying solely on cognitive conversations, the prospective academics specifically used auditory, olfactory, and tactile stimuli. By playing familiar pieces of music from the seniors’ youth, using specific scents, and feeling everyday objects from past decades, biographical milestones were reactivated. The emotions and images awakened in this way were then put on paper by the participants using paints and pencils.
Presentation at Katharinenhof
The resulting works are more than just pictures; they are visual testimonies of lived history. The ceremonial conclusion of the project was a vernissage last Wednesday. At the Katharinenhof, the seniors had the opportunity to present their individual artworks to the public, relatives, and nursing staff, and to share the stories behind the motifs.
Background: Biography Work and Memory Care
Projects like „Alte Hände – Neue Bilder“ are based on the principles of biography work, which plays a central role in modern elderly care and social work. In particular, olfactory (scent) and musical memory often remain intact the longest in the case of age-related limitations or dementia-related changes. Scents such as floor wax, curd soap, or the smell of fresh coffee can evoke deep memories of childhood or former working life.
The Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule (EAH) Jena, particularly in the Department of Health and Care as well as Social Work, places great importance on practical project work. Such collaborations with local institutions promote the social participation of seniors and optimally prepare students for empathy and methodological competence in working with geriatric people.
Source:
Art Project – Seniors Put Memories on Paper
Transparency Note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.