The first output from this project is a booklet entitled “Creative Drama and Storytelling in Dementia Care: Information for Practitioners”. This booklet provides an overview of how creative drama and storytelling are being used within the dementia care field and the benefits they may have for the well-being of people living with dementia and their care partners. It draws on theoretical understandings of social inclusion, to illustrate how researchers and practitioners across the globe, including within the ERASMUS partner countries, are using these creative initiatives to promote this important facet for people affected by dementia. The booklet is aimed at dementia practitioners who are currently using drama and storytelling within their practice or have an interest in doing so in the future.
The booklet is divided into four chapters. The first provides an overview of dementia and the current global political focus on supporting people to live well with the condition, paying particular attention to the social inclusion agenda and developing dementia-friendly communities. The second chapter discusses the use of creative drama and storytelling within the dementia care field, focusing on where these initiatives are currently being employed, how they are being used, as well as the benefits for people with dementia and the wider social inclusion agenda. The third chapter provides an overview and examples of creative drama and storytelling initiatives within each of the partner countries. The final chapter draws comparisons across the ERASMUS partner countries and summarises the information contained within the booklet. Based on these conclusions, it then outlines recommendations for policy and practice within this field.
Cătălina Tudose, President of the Romanian Alzheimer society (Societatea Alzheimer Romania) advises that:
“The focus of care must be on the needs of the whole person and the family, as perceived by the individual, at that point of time in their lives. Instead of expecting the person with dementia to ‘function’ in our world, through these therapies we will validate their experience of the world.”
In coordination with the ERASMUS+ partners, the booklet was prepared by the Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) at Bournemouth University, UK and can be found at: www.story2remember.eu
The booklet has been translated into Romanian, Bulgarian and Greek and can be downloaded from the project website:
