Creativity, Healing & Communication

I agree with Carl Jung, when he said that creativity is a basic healing drive in human nature. He described it as an instinct. To me it is a life force that anyone can tap into and through the flow of creativity running through them, feel invigorated, soothed and re-connected with themselves.

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 Art and drama have  been used as a means of communication and as a method of healing all over the world in different cultures throughout history. From the shadow puppets of Indonesia and China,many of which tell religious and moral stories and myths, to Native American three dimensional figures used for blessing the crops and healing. In Africa (as in many other parts of the world) puppets have been used during rites of passage. 

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Under communism political theatre was banned in Czechoslovakia, however puppetry was considered to be children's entertainment and so was not banned. This led to many political puppet shows and as a result the popularity and diversity of puppet theatre grew in Czechoslovakia.

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So how are puppetry and the creative arts relevant to elderly people

and people with disabilities?

Many of the elderly and people with disabilities of any age require so much to be done for them.

 As a result of this they might find that they have little choice.In this situation it

can be a wonderful freedom to take control of their own self expression

and make choices through creative art and using the imagination.

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'Art in all its forms is an encounter with emotion, a big reason why we need art,

not as a luxury and leisure activity, but as a daily balance to our fear of feeling,

our fear of the consequences of feeling'.
(Novelist Jeanette Winterson 2010)

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Not everybody feels like this, but sometimes it can be hard to come to terms with big unsettling life changes and other challenges life throws at us, such as losses and disabilities. Creativity is a way of coping, of re-connecting with ourselves and nurturing ourselves through this time.

People living with Dementia have lost some of their intellectual capacity and perhaps as a result of this, they seem to be more connected with their emotions.

Therefore the arts can be a good outlet for the natural reaction to all they are going through.

I Remember Better When I Paint
The Hilgos Foundation produced a book and documentary entitled “I Remember Better When I Paint:

Art and Alzheimer’s: Opening Doors, Making Connections”. It is a wonderful story which describes

how people affected with dementia can be reconnected to themselves and how communication channels

can be reopened through the creative arts.

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It tells the story of the remarkable transformation of Hilgos, a woman with Alzheimer’s, her family,

friends, caregivers, and doctors reflect on the role of art in helping her regain her self-esteem

and connect once again with those she loves.

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Art and creative therapies are often able to bypass the limitations imposed by the changes that happen to a person with Dementia. 

The Very Real Benefits of Puppetry

Puppetry is often mistakenly seen as being something only for children. However, if you dismiss it for this reason, you are at risk of missing out on a wonderful and powerful art form.  

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An extremely effective tool for communication, puppetry is used in social projects throughout the world.

Union International de la Marionette (UNIMA) was the first cultural organization established by UNESCO in 1929 and does on-going work to encourage cultural interaction and world peace through the art of puppetry.

A centre for the elderly in America called Wartburg recently launched its Mnemonic Theatre Project, a weekly program that encourages playfulness and theatrics for participants in the organization’s Assisted Living Memory Care Facility and Adult Day Services program as part of its award-winning internationally-recognised Creative Aging and Lifelong Learning Program.

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Here is a link to more information about the project.

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People with Dementia often experience heightened emotions, I have seen through working with different people that being creative and using their imagination to communicate with puppets ,provides not only a means of communication, but an emotional release and often a sense of peace and well-being as they become totally absorbed in what they are doing.

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Raising Self - Esteem

Having a learning disability can often mean that people feel less confident about their abilities and can cause a lack of self-esteem. Being creative through art and drama, having  their ideas listened to and then creating a piece of art, or collaborating on a drama project really can raise levels of self-esteem and bring a feeling of connection and well-being; they realise that they are a valued part of a team and their ideas and creativity are respected.

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Similarly with elderly people who may have lost confidence due to physical disabilities or Dementia, have found through creative activity a new sense of confidence in themselves. They can regain a sense of pride in their ability to create something lovely and feel part of a group. They feel valued and so then value themselves.

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Some people just like to come and watch and sit with us. Through doing this they experience connection and are enfolded in the sense of peace and feeling of belonging that an art workshop can bring.