St. Mary's Card Project Helps Subside Patient Isolation

The pandemic changed the world and human interactions in deeply profound ways. None is more clearly different than hospital patients. With no visitors allowed, limited human interaction, minimized physical contact, all of these factors create an overall lonely experience for patients. When patients are isolated it can be discouraging, and they can begin to lack the ability to engage or make connections throughout the time of their stay. Long term patients are kept from seeing their loved ones or doing the things they used to in their everyday life, so they easily feel that they are separate from the rest of the world.

To prevent the emotional consequences of social isolation, Sage Kincaid, Associate Curator of Education, designed a project for St. Mary’s hospital to help patients and their families have access to something that provides a moment's respite, time to take a breath and the opportunity to engage with something beautiful and soothing. Located in the hospital's Serenity Room, the project consists of four cards with an image of an artwork on one side and mindful questions on the other. The cards provide activities that encourage slowing down, and meditation techniques that can aid in stress relief, relaxation, and engagement with works of art. When engaging with a work of art, the patients are asked to settle into the moment, breathe in, breathe out and enjoy. Though these seem to be simple tasks they can improve patient satisfaction by taking a break from their detachment.

This kind of activity seeks to improve a lack of social connection that can impact a patient’s wellbeing and surround them with the power of art. Along with questions, the cards include exercises, like taking deep breaths, stretching out your fingers, drawing your emotions, to guide patients towards a synesthetic sensation of texture, motion, or taste. When one experiences a crossing of any of their senses like hearing, vision, taste, touch, smell, and movement, they perceive more sensory understanding than one typically perceives and provides relaxation, insight, and wisdom to relieve physical tension and stress at the same time.

The education department developed content and Noelle Shuck designed printed cards for this project and include both prompts for looking and/or prompts for art making and corresponding supply lists so the hospital could buy supplies such as paper and colored pencils when needed. Two of the cards were translated through a partnership with a UGA Spanish Translation Service-Learning class.

While the Georgia Museum of Art works to provide a place for visitors to experience and be inspired by the visual arts, we also work to facilitate and foster community with all residents of the great state of Georgia. Be sure to visit our community and public programs page to learn more and explore other ways to engage in the arts with community in mind. 

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