Benefits and applications of arts in medicine

It is possible to see the positive effect of arts on human health everywhere starting from the rituals in early ages to the contemporary healthcare systems. Arts play a huge role in maintaining the integrity of mind, body, and soul. For this reason, hospitals, outpatient clinics and geriatric centers around the world apply various disciplines of art effectively as part of the holistic treatment. This study aims to examine the benefits of art in human health, and its use in healing sessions. This research includes not only the patients but also patients' relatives, doctors, staff, and anybody who spends time in the hospital. It aims to increase the quality of the time spent in the hospital. According to research, it has been found that art greatly reduces depression, strengthens the immune system and is beneficial to physical healing. Using different disciplines of arts improves the self-assurance of the patients who are isolated from their natural environment, develops communication skills and improves the spirit, body and mind as a whole. Examples from researches, theories and applications of arts in medicine are analyzed extensively in the thesis. Over the past five years, Füge Demirok has been running pilots in different institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, associations and foundations, aiming to establish a arts in medicine unit in healthcare institutions. She the great opportunity to participate in the well-known Arts in Medicine Certificate Program in University of Florida, where she studied and practiced the systematic applications of arts in medicine. The structure and the working methods of this unit are described in the thesis with a systematic approach. This study can shed light on the systematic and comprehensive development of the application of arts in the healthcare institutions in our country.