A look at creative storytelling with people with dementia

Clinicians and carers working with people with dementia would be familiar with approaches such as reminiscence therapy, but may be less au fait with the use of creative storytelling.

The creative storytelling approaches used encourage people with dementia to tell stories based on a picture or photo.  One of the important aspects of this technique, is that there is no “right or wrong”. Indeed this method allows and welcomes storytelling of all types – including made up stories.

The benefits that clinicians using this approach noted included:

• An opportunity for people with dementia to engage in conversation
•  An opportunity for verbal expression not bound by “rules”
•   Individuals were observed to have increased confidence, quality of life and positively altered behavior

The TimeSlips approach by Basting is a more structured format. Researchers from the University of Missouri found that participation in the TimeSlips storytelling programme improved communication between patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and had a generally positive effect on patients.

Working in 20 care homes, researchers studied the effect of storytelling among residents with Alzheimers. Using a method developed by the TimeSlips Creative Storytelling Project, residents were encouraged to tell stories inspired by photographs. Working as a group, patients created a narrative inspired by the picture. The method replaces the pressure to remember with encouragement to imagine.

In examples where it was used in care homes, the whole community was reported to benefit.  Read more about one particular study here https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.timeslips.org/cms/files/46/files/original/I'm_a_Storyteller!_.pdf

Two of the ColorCards apps lend themselves nicely to this approach – Everyday Objects and What Can You See? Using either or both apps, you can quickly create picture and photo based stimuli to make your own storytelling aids.  Consider using personal photos of the individuals in the care home; images that provoke discussion or images from a particular time in that person’s history.

The iPad apps can be easily projected onto a larger screen using an HDMI cable and connector to the TV; Apple TV  (http://www.apple.com/uk/tv/?afid=p238%7CsB9pCor4O-dc_mtid_187079nc38483_pcrid_85504187533_&cid=aos-uk-kwg-btb-slid-) or via Reflector app (http://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector/).  This makes it a great point of focus for group based activities in care homes or day centres. Clinicians or carers can facilitate the storytelling using the images as the discussion point for the group members.