Roundabout: March Charity
Roundabout’s motto is “Turning Lives Around” and we do, running dramatherapy projects with people of all ages and abilities across London.
We work with individuals and groups, using verbal and non-verbal techniques and a wide range of theatrical and dramatic techniques. These include story-telling, story-making and enactment, improvisation, role-play, mime, puppets, movement, music and voice work.
Roundabout is a registered charity and was founded in 1985 by Lynn Cedar and Deborah Haythorne, who remain the organisation’s Project Directors, whilst maintaining an active caseload as practicing dramatherapists. There are currently 22 dramatherapists working for Roundabout across London.
Building Friendships Amongst Older People
In working with older people, Roundabout’s Dramatherapy sessions are successful in building friendships and connections amongst group members, which continue beyond the time of the sessions; in enabling older people to have their life stories and experiences heard and valued, and in developing trusting relationships between the group members and the dramatherapists.
Benefits of Roundabout’s Dramatherapy
Roundabout has developed its model of dramatherapy with older people over many years, aimed at meeting, in a sensitive, accessible and flexible way, the high level of need that has been identified in this area. Many older people experience different kinds of loss, i.e. physical problems and mobility, mental capacity and loss of loved ones, losing one’s home. This can have the effect of causing low self-esteem, depression and feelings of worthlessness and isolation. Roundabout has found that through attending regular weekly sessions, group members can experience:
- Increased connections with others
- Improved mental health
- Stimulated memory and interest
- Exploration of life issues
- Effective psychological and emotional support
- Increased opportunities to think about, discuss, and reflect on ideas
- Increased level of enjoyment
Roundabout’s Dramatherapy sessions create an environment in which existing and emerging needs can be identified and responded to, even if group members struggle with direct verbal communication. They are tailored to each individual or group, responding quickly to needs and issues as they emerge. A similar structure for the sessions is used each week, which helps to create a sense of familiarity, reducing anxiety and building trust. But within that consistent and reassuring framework, the contents of the sessions are infinitely variable.
The structure of the sessions is designed to give everyone opportunities to tell their story. Traditional stories and myths, creating stories, gentle movement, music, poems, images, and photographs are used to stimulate imagination, ideas, thoughts and memory. This material can be worked with in the context of the here and now, or used to support personal stories and prompt memories.
As part of the work, each group of older adults creates a Group Book. This is used to help the group reflect on the work they have done and acts as a tangible reminder of what they have achieved, session by session. By looking at the photographs and images in the book, people are able to track their own development, and have their past and present achievements acknowledged and affirmed by the group. It is also used as a reference for the group, to show changes and developments over time.
Dramatherapy benefits for elderly with dementia
Roundabout has been running very successful dramatherapy sessions for adults with dementia. These sessions aim to improve quality of life and increase social interaction amongst adults with dementia, and enhance the understanding and skills of the people caring for them from day to day. Our experience has shown that Dramatherapy can make a real difference to people with dementia. It is highly adaptable and flexible, as well as being very accessible, and takes as its starting point what people can do, as opposed to what they cannot do.
What group members say about Dramatherapy
“Just enjoy it all, talking together and having a laugh. Eases the pain.”
“I feel much better. I do feel different. I can’t explain it. I feel in a talkative mood – not like me!”
“I’m glad I got up to see what it was. Made my day.”
“Interesting actually – gets your brain working”
“I feel as though I’ve been lifted out of this contraption (her wheelchair) and walked”
“Nice feeling, isn’t it? Makes you feel important for once in your life.”
“The trees are waving goodbye. You feel as though you’ve actually done something instead of just watching”
What Staff say about their Dramatherapy programmes
“He is now able to ask and take part in activities, due to his growing confidence, which he has shown while taking part in the Roundabout sessions.”
“She completely stopped being in conflict with peers and in the past it was happening from time to time. She seems much happier and balanced.”
“I am quite convinced by the fact that the Roundabout group, which started nearly a year ago, helped our service users in many different ways. I have observed a revolutionary sea-change in the ways one of our service users communicates with others….. so, I would say, go ahead dramatherapy! We look forward to having you back. Thank you”
Please read more about Roundabout here or follow us on Twitter @roundaboutdrama
