Photography as a medium for reflecting on Alzheimer’s disease in vocational training in nursing care assistance

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease poses not only clinical but also profound emotional and relational challenges, requiring healthcare professionals to develop empathetic and communicative competences alongside technical skills. In vocational healthcare education, arts-based approaches may contribute to a more humanised understanding of the disease. This study explores the potential of photographic artistic creation as a tool for raising awareness and fostering reflective learning about Alzheimer's disease during the initial training of auxiliary nursing care professionals. METHODS: A qualitative collective case study was conducted using an arts-informed research approach. Participants were 30 students enrolled in an Intermediate Vocational Training Programme in Auxiliary Nursing Care in southern Spain. Students engaged in a guided creative process involving photographic artworks reflecting different aspects of Alzheimer's disease. Data sources included the photographs, written reflective reports, participant observation, and an open-ended questionnaire. Visual and thematic analyses were undertaken. RESULTS: The photographic artworks revealed that students were able to visually represent key cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions of Alzheimer's disease, including memory loss, disorientation, dependence, and affective suffering. The images also demonstrated sensitivity towards the lived experience of people with the disease. Most participants reported a positive perception of photography and art as resources for enhancing communication and empathy with patients. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the pedagogical and humanising value of photography within vocational healthcare education. Photographic artistic creation emerges as an effective reflective tool for developing professional competences related to empathy, communication, and holistic care in future auxiliary nursing care professionals working with people with Alzheimer's disease.