"I had the last waltz with you..."
When your partner has dementia it's natural to dwell on the things you can’t do together any more.
Beryl is determined to do as much with her husband Colin as possible, including going to groups they previously enjoyed together, some of which are accepting of their situation. But she has also found solace and support in the new dementia cafes that have sprung up in Doncaster, and says she particularly enjoys the sessions where artists from darts come along to lead the group in creative activities to stimulate and inspire fresh ways of interacting. Participants find that relationships can be recaptured and strengthened by enjoying activities together.
"But the love we had was going strong, through the good and bad we get along."
At Askern two musicians did a whole session based on The Last Waltz by Engelbert Humperdinck. This arose from the interests of one of the participants who had said in a previous session how much she loved his music.
We decided to base the whole session on waltz tunes and rhythms, starting with a hello song to the tune of Edelweiss, singing and playing percussion instruments to The Last Waltz, and ending with a medley of waltzes for the group to move to, some in traditional dance hold, some waving coloured scarves between them which gave them the confidence to change partners for a while.
Beryl said: "It was excellent. We seemed to be able to join in even though Colin's not very mobile. We managed to waltz a little like we used to."
After successful projects run at The Point in 2008 and 2009, darts was keen to develop its work with carers and the people they care for, and secured funding from the Carers Development Team for a third phase of the project in 2009/10.
We aimed to deliver creative activities that would offer the carer support by providing an opportunity for respite which is with as opposed to away from the person they are caring for. We wanted to provide each pair with a shared and equal experience which would improve the quality of life for both the carer and the person they care for.
We ran the programme as an outreach project with sessions at the Alzheimer's Society's dementia cafes at Askern, Balby and Stainforth, and at Doncaster Partnership for Carers.
Exploring how members of the group are feeling, both at the start and at the end of each session, is something we feel is essential to this project. If people can take time to notice how certain activities impact on their sense of wellbeing they can empower themselves to take some of that back into their daily lives.
"I feel ready to face another day." – Nellie
"I'm feeling very sunny now, far less foggy." Jacqueline
"This is the best day I've had since I got this disease." Andrew
Staff from the Alzheimer's Society have noted how even the most reluctant people change during the course of a session.
"As we went to sit down there were a couple of people like, what are we doing here? And I don’t think I want much to do with this, but by the end of it everybody was smiling. You know they were all completely chilled." Jill (staff)
"After the session began I looked around and thought 'this is a totally different group from when I walked in.' It changed the energy of people, I saw different things, different emotions."
Everyone involved in the project expressed the desire for the sessions to carry on and for darts to develop more work particularly in the dementia cafes.
With an extended programme we feel we could better monitor the impact that creative activities have on the emotional and social wellbeing of both carers and cared for, their relationships with each other and their confidence in sharing with others.
"The new lunch clubs are three hours in length and we want to use this extended time to help the group members to feel socially included and have increased confidence. The sessions from darts provide this and more. The sessions are unique because they are interactive, stimulating and therapeutic. All members in the group are encouraged to contribute to the music and movement sessions either through their words or their movements. Their contributions are valued by being used in the final song and movements. This builds individual confidence and helps other group members to see more about the person’s character, which encourages peer support." Michaela Mahon, Dementia Support Manager
Working longer term would enable us to introduce a wider range of art forms and build on the work we have begun. We would have more opportunity to tailor sessions to the needs and interests of regular participants and empower them to take more ownership of the programme.
"It’s nice to see George enjoying himself, because he sits and does nothing at home." Jenny
We are particularly interested in monitoring the wider impact the sessions may have on the lives of the participants, both the cared for:
"When Brenda’s been here she’s more talkative when we get home – the sessions do help as she has difficulty communicating." Clive
...and the carer:
"It's a release from the drudgery of day by day things – I enjoy the company and feel at ease." Beryl
As the population ages and the number of people taking on a caring role increases, the need for activity that specifically addresses the attendant issues grows ever more urgent. We at darts have genuine passion for this work and believe that in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, health professionals, carers and the people for whom they care we can have a positive effect on people’s lives.
"The last waltz should last forever."
Names of participants have been changed.