Storytelling with the elderly

For several months, Maggie has been working with a small group of professional storytellers and community and health workers, setting up a project in the Home Counties to present storytelling based activities for people with dementia living in care homes.

Our work is based on the Timeslips method, created by Dr. Anne Basting. USA www.timeslips.org

In these sessions, the facilitators use images, to support and encourage creative input from participants, (who during the sessions are known as the storytellers) Together the group are free to contribute as the mood or the moment takes them. All contributions are accepted, respected and used. At intervals facilitators collate the material and read it back to the group, forming an ongoing story which is unique to the group.

The stories are recorded to be shared with each other, friends and relatives.

 Working this way, it is clear that for the storytellers, once free from potential anxieties of pressure to remember and recall, the sessions are engaging and generally elicit much shared humour within the group.

There is evidence to support claims that many elderly residents with dementia in care homes, who participate in the storytelling sessions show marked improvement in general demeanor and engagement with staff and others.

:   Gauri Raje:  Taline Haytayan: Maggie Weber.  Alison Martin (not pictured)

Working together to introduce creativity into lives of the elderly with dementia.