How the arts to stir memory
‘Who am I?’ The power of the arts,music, poetry and photography, can stir memories and consolidate identities for those with dementia and learning difficulties
For the past two months, older Jewish people in Golders Green, North London, have been treated to free creative writing and photography sessions run by arts charity Create. These people either have dementia, are Holocaust survivors, and/or experience physical and learning disabilities. Although there are four services for older people in the close vicinity (Michael Sobell Jewish Community Centre, Rela Goldhill Lodge, Selig Court and Otto Schiff), service users rarely have the opportunity to meet and interact, so Create is acting to unite these separate yet related groups.
Photography, music and poetry are being used to trigger memories and help members of the group understand their identities. Research shows that the arts are particularly good at helping those with dementia to maintain a sense of identity, and this has been tied to improving self-esteem and the quality of life in old age. By taking photographs of old images, they were able to create links between their past lives and the present, with many reminiscing of former homes and happy holiday memories. Engagement with the arts has also been shown by the Mental Health Foundation to improve cognitive functioning communication so the benefits are multi-faceted.
Loneliness has been a much talked about subject with the Campaign to End Loneliness reporting that 5 million people say that the television is their main form of company. The percentage of people in this situation increases for older people; 41% rely on TV for companionship and a million older people haven’t spoken to anyone in a month. This is why initiatives to facilitate social interaction between older people are of increasing significance.
The Golders Green residents were recently visited by Create Patron, esteemed Jewish novelist Esther Freud, who took part in a creative writing session. She said, “As with any writing group, there is something intense and magical that happens to the air in the room when everyone is writing. By the end of the session there was no one who hadn’t created something beautiful – a condensed and joyful memory, each one with a small jewel of a poem that they could take away with them”. (Esther’s words on ‘writing and its power to heal’ will appear in the Autumn 2015 issue of Jewish Quarterly).
Two of the group members, Audrey and Bridget wrote the following poem together inspired by the collaborative patchwork of photos and portraits that the group made together:
A Wonderful Patchwork
Lightening streaks in abstract squares illuminate the backgrounds of dull vision.
The people are in different facial expressions, some are smiling, some are relaxed, some concentrating on playing cards, watching what the others are doing.
Looking, playing, dancing, working, our family smiles.
Diamonds, silver skies and a happy fish.
The flowers are beautiful in a spring smell, with a nice colour during summer.
With skies of blue in different hues, it brings forth smiles and miseries too.
Pensive smiles, dancing patterns, the city is a patchwork of friends.
A wonderful patchwork of nature, flowers, people, and also abstract squares with all the cares.
Founded in 2003, Create (www.createarts.org.uk) has run 5,564 creative arts workshops that have transformed the lives of 29,485 disadvantaged and marginalised people.
