Musings of a Dance/Movement Therapist

Livedbody-Embodiedlife: Behind the scenes at the Memory Conference in Liverpool

About the lived body concept

via www.livedbody-embodiedlife.com

Marina Rova is "Artistic Director for 'De Mentis: Silent Stories I, II & III' a research performance project on the lived experience of Dementia. In this journal Marina explores the 'lived body' phenomenological concept as an integrative approach to psychotherapy, creative process and performance." The performance is quite evocative, helping one to feel something of the experience of dementia.

The Octaband ~ Spreading Joy through Connection

People just have to see the Octaband beginning to be unfurled, and their whole bodies reach eagerly for a leg. At this time of year, when the days are the shortest and often quite dark, it helps to have something to brighten life up. Here are some images of the Octaband brightening peoples' lives.

   

 

"Whenever I take the Octaband out for our exercise program, their faces light up with excitement. " - Ed Picard, Dementia Care Provider, Charlie's Place

"Some of the kids who don’t hold onto anything else hold on to the Octaband because it connects them to the group." - Lynne Patnode, Music Therapist, CT

"The Octaband is Fantastic!" Maggie Rodgers, Music Therapist

"As soon as I pull out the octaband, everyone gasps - the doctors, the nurses, the social workers." - Nancy Koprak, Dance Movement Therapist

"Allow me to act as your infomercial!  It's FANTASTIC. I work in geri-psych with patients with
severe dementia and it was such a hit. Patients of all levels enjoyed. (The loops at the end of the ribbons for attachment to the wrists are brilliant - allows less aware patients to participate passively, feeling the movement/rhythm through the fabric.) They had a BLAST! Anyone working with the elderly - you should definitely acquire this - you'll have so much fun!!!" - Lora Wilson Mau, Dance Movement Therapist

"I shared it with my adult yoga classes and THEY LOVED IT!" - Vitalah Simon, Dance Movement Therapist

" It’s an octopus. It’s the sun. It’s a merry-go-round!" Julia Priest, Music Together

"My students love the Octaband.  It is an excellent tool for our gross motor groups.  It promotes visual attention, coordination, motor planning, strength and endurance.  Students of varying ages, cognitive levels  and physical abilities can participate and most of all... have fun." - Kelly McDermott, Physical Therapist, Boston Public Schools

"Whenever I take out the Octaband, smiles abound and everyone wants to know what we will do with it.  People WANT to move when they have their wrists in the sleeves." - Caryl Derenfeld, Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher

Preparing for a Dance Therapy Group with People with Dementia

This is a group which I run once a month and have been for the past 3 years. It is not a "typical" DMT group with people with dementia, because it is only once a week, rather than once or twice a week, which would be preferable. Still, the folks there remember me from month-to-month, although not my name.

I am billed as an entertainer. I come in, and staff bring in as many people from the unit as they possibly can. Again, this is far from ideal. There can be as many as 22 residents gathered at once. What makes it most difficult is that they are in big chairs or wheelchairs, and therefore the circle is very big. It certainly doesn't create a sense of intimacy. Still, most of the residents are familiar with the routine which contributes to their feelings of emotional safety, and their willingness to participate.

At first the movements are quite small. I'll hand out props for 2 reasons. First, it helps to have something which makes the movement look larger, so that they have a greater feeling of accomplishment. I stapled together 3 streamers that are arms length. Because it's the Christmas season, I'm using red and green streamers. The streamers are long enough that they billow. Also,if they stuff them into the baskets of their walkers or in their clothes, they can keep them if they like. Life offers them so little in the way of new things, or things they can keep. Also, I don't have to reuse them, so we're not contributing to the possibility of passing germs.

I also have some brightly colored bows. They'll be able to choose the ones they like, and wear them. That's because I want them to understand that they are gifts, each of them contributing to the circle in their unique ways. All will do as much as they can. Even those with the least abilities will likely be alert and watching the others.

I will name each person many times during the course of our hour together, naming them and the movement that I see them doing. I will encourage others to join me in mirroring that person's movement. Only a few will initially respond to my directions.

There are some residents who will wander in and out. One in particular tends to get on the others' nerves. She is very negative with a grating tone, and goes directly up people, intruding on their personal space. She seems to enjoy getting people all worked up. They usually respond with great hostility. But for this hour, I will be her target. I will let her come too close to me. I will reflect her tone, and I will try to catch her off-guard, by dancing and playing with her. I have to be very careful, or she can take offense. For that hour, the others are mostly off the hook. I'll try to incorporate any of their words, movements, moods.

Staff love this group as much as residents. I usually have as many as 1 to 4 staff who join in, and they dance with the residents. I use music that both the residents and the staff like. In the case of this particular group, many of the staff are from the Caribbean, so I make sure to play their familiar music. They will come in when they hear the music that they love, and will invite the residents onto their feet, so that those who can will have a partner. Meanwhile, I dance around the circle with those who are seated and in their wheelchairs.

Here's my playlist, from which I will choose at least some of the songs related to the holidays:

Christmas Song, Nat King Cole               
Winter Wonderland, Aretha Franklin               
Blue Christmas, Elvis Presley               
Sleigh Ride, Johnny Mathis           
It's Beginning to Be a Lot like Christmas, Dionne Warwick                
Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt               
Have Yourself a Very Merry Xmas, Judy Garland               
Let It Snow, Bing Crosby               
Winter Wonderland, Bing Crosby               
Frosty the Snowman, Bing Crosby               
I Wish You a Merry Christmas, Bing Crosby               
White Christmas, Ella Fitzgerald               
My Favorite Things, Tony Bennett                   
All I Want for Christmas, Nat King Cole                   
Jingle Bells, Dean Martin                   
Winter Wonderland, Peggy Lee                   
Baby It's Cold Outside, J Mercer & Margaret Whiting
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, Les Brown               
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Brenda Lee     
A Marshmallow World, Dean Martin   
Feliz Navidad, José Feliciano

For one hour, once a month, the residents have a feeling of group cohesion. The staff are pleased to see the residents enjoying themselves. I feel gratified, because they so appreciate the time and attention. I do love working with them, and they deserve nothing less.

Inspired by Excellence

This morning I had the luxury of a 2 hour car drive to listen to and be inspired by the music of Kareen King. I recently purchased her cd, The Person in the Picture Ain't Me. Kareen sings from the perspective of people with dementia. " The album provides the listener with an opportunity to walk in the shoes of those who have spent the last season of their lives in a nursing home. It shatters the negative stereotypes of older adults and gives voice to the human spirit no matter how aged the skin."

Sound depressing? It decidely is not!!! My spirit soared as I listened to Kareen's gorgeous voice and heartfelt lyrics express some of the feelings I have heard people with dementia express, from readiness to die to anger at being abandoned. The thing about Kareen's music is the excellence of not only her voice, but the orchestration. From the poignant swelling of the violin strings to the snappy banjo rhythms, the lyrics and music cause us to feel the many dimensions as well as rhythms, attitudes, flavors and emotions of real people with dementia.

With time to ponder, I thought about how often people with dementia are provided with the bare minimum. Because they can't speak for themselves, or if they do speak, their thoughts and feelings are so often disregarded, institutions which provide care for people with dementia can get away with mediocre entertainment and services. And yet, when the people who provide services to them are excellent entertainers, or dance, music, art therapists, their enhanced responsiveness and liveliness are observable. I, for one, have seen the dramatic difference.

So I began to dream, envision .... Inspired by Excellence: A Conference of Creative Arts Therapies for Dementia. A conference where artists and arts therapists who work with people with dementia come together to share their excellence and inspire one another. I imagine presenters such as Kareen King, Omar Cain poet and rapper, Donna Allen photographer and writer, and myself, Donna Newman-Bluestein, dance movement therapist who were all on Creative Alley at the Pioneer Network Conference plus Judith-Kate Friedman of Songwriting Works. While I'm dreaming, I might as well dream of being joined by friend and colleague, dance movement therapist Heather Hill of Australia. I imagine dance therapists, music therapists, expressive therapists, art therapists, poetry therapists and drama therapists and artists in every medium who LOVE working with people with dementia coming together to infuse one another and those interested in learning more.

I imagine such a conference happening in or near a facility with people with dementia, so that at least some of the groups would be done with people with dementia who would benefit directly in the moment and so that we could all see the benefits firsthand. I imagine this conference being professionally filmed,so that it could live on and continue to inspire others in the future. And while I'm at it, I imagine it co-sponsored by an institution which would analyze the films for research purposes, proving once and for all the indisputable benefits of quality arts for people with dementia.

 Do I have any takers? Any funders? Anyone who wants to pick this up and fly with it? Because one thing I know, our current care for people with dementia is NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Please let us truly HONOR OUR MOTHERS AND FATHERS.