“Dementia-Friendly Arts and Museum Prescription” Program Earns National Recognition Among 215 Entries from 67 Universities

Dr. Mei-Ling Chen (left), Chair of the Taiwan Regional Revitalization Foundation, presents the Welfare and Inclusion Excellence Award to Dean Hua-Shan Wu (right), College of Nursing, Asia University

Asia University, Taiwan (AU), has once again demonstrated its commitment to social responsibility and innovation in elder care. The College of Nursing received an Excellence Award in the Welfare and Inclusion category at the 2025 Global Views University Social Responsibility (USR) Awards for its “Dementia-Friendly Arts × Museum Prescription” initiative. Out of 215 entries from 67 universities across Taiwan, AU’s program stood out for its impactful integration of healthcare, arts, and community engagement.

The awarded initiative is part of AU’s Ministry of Education-funded USR project, titled “Building a Sustainable, Dementia-Friendly, and Inclusive Community through Digital Innovation, Cognitive Care Prescriptions, and Social Cohesion.” Now in its eighth year, the program has, over the past two years, developed and implemented an arts-based care model for elderly individuals with dementia, promoting inclusivity and cultural participation.

Launch event of AU’s “Dementia-Friendly Arts × Museum Prescription,” marking the formation of an academic-government-industry alliance

At the award ceremony, hosted by Global Views, opening remarks were delivered by Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Ping-Cheng Yeh and GV Group Founder Charles Kao. A total of 67 outstanding projects were honored across seven categories, including Sustainability Reporting, Talent Co-Learning, Sustainable Curriculum, Industry Co-Creation, Welfare and Inclusion, Ecological Co-Prosperity, and Local Integration. The award for Welfare and Inclusion was presented to Dean Hua-Shan Wu of AU’s College of Nursing by Dr. Mei-Ling Chen, Chair of the Taiwan Regional Revitalization Foundation.

Dean Wu shared that the awarded project successfully integrated community healthcare, arts, and social welfare. Supported by AU President Jeffrey J.P. Tsai, the program launched in July 2023 and established a public-private-academic alliance involving the Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, iLife Cultural Co., Asia University Hospital, China Medical University Hospital, Chang An Hospital, and Caotun Psychiatric Center. The program also collaborates with community-based long-term care centers and dementia care stations across central Taiwan.

AU nursing students engage in creative, self-directed learning with projects like “Art for Sustainability”

AU’s “Arts × Museum Prescription” initiative has trained 297 dementia-friendly volunteers, and issued 900 customized EasyCards that grant free admission to museums and cultural spaces for elderly individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Monthly group art therapy sessions are also held. To date, 612 dementia patients have participated in cultural outings, while 497 have taken part in group art therapy programs.

Dean Wu emphasized that the initiative established Asia University Museum of Modern Art as a model for dementia care through arts engagement and has since expanded the model to local museums and cultural institutions in Taichung. The program has made significant strides in promoting cultural accessibility, artistic inclusion, and cognitive health for the elderly. Satisfaction scores from participating dementia patients range from 4.77 to 5.00 out of 5, and cognitive assessments show improvements in memory recall, thinking fluency, and information retention.

A Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis revealed that every NT$1 invested in the arts-based prescription generated NT$9.77 in social impact value, highlighting the program’s cost-effectiveness and positive community influence.

The initiative has also been incorporated into AU’s “Nursing and Art” course. At AU’s museum, volunteers with both healthcare and art backgrounds lead art therapy workshops, guiding nursing students to engage in co-learning and co-creation with dementia patients. Through self-directed learning, students also explore themes such as carbon reduction and sustainability, creating works like “Art for Sustainability” and “The Rolled-Up Beautiful Mind”, reinforcing the therapeutic value of art in dementia care.

Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Bing-Cheng Yeh (right) with Dean Hua-Shan Wu (left) at the award ceremony

Dean Wu (right) with Chief Editor of Global Views Think Tank, Chien-Hsing Lee (left) at the 2025 USR Awards

Group photo of all 2025 USR Award winners at the ceremony