Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Storytelling
Program Encourages Imagination, Improves Lives of People with
Alzheimer’s
TimeSlips,
drug-free, creative storytelling intervention, improves communication
skills in dementia patients, says UM study - see video
Feb. 27, 2011 –
An estimated 5.3 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s disease,
including 5.1 million senior citizens aged 65 or older. Fourteen percent
of those aged 71 or older suffer with AD or other mind-erasing
dementias, which rarely can be reversed. A glimmer of hope is being
found in a creative storytelling program, TimeSlips, that seems to improve
communications skills and has other positive affects on dementia
patients.
Dementia
symptoms include a loss of
brain function that affects memory, thinking, language, judgment, and
behavior. Many patients have difficulty walking and talking.
Anti-dementia drugs have been inconsistent in treating these symptoms.
Now, University
of Missouri researchers confirm that participation in TimeSlips, a
drug-free, creative storytelling intervention is making a difference.
TimeSlips is a
nationally recognized storytelling program for people with dementia that
encourages participants to use their imaginations to create short
stories as a group. Rather than relying on factual recall, participants
respond verbally to humorous images presented by facilitators who record
the responses and read narratives to further develop or end the stories
“TimeSlips
provides rich, engaging opportunities for persons with dementia to
interact with others while exercising their individual strengths,” said
Lorraine Phillips, assistant professor in the Sinclair School of Nursing
and John A. Hartford Foundation Claire M. Fagin Fellow.
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What Is TimeSlips? from 371 Productions on Vimeo. |
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The TimeSlips
Project aims to:
● inspire people
with dementia to hone and share the gifts of their imaginations;
● inspire others
to see beyond the loss and to recognize the strengths of people with
dementia;
● improve the
quality of life of people with dementia and those who care for them.
To achieve these
goals, the TimeSlips Project:
● offers
trainings to certify facilitators in the TimeSlips method;
● works to build
the field of creative expression in dementia care by fostering research
and partnerships between artists and professional organizations.
● acts as a
resource for those dedicated to changing the way we approach dementia
care.
>> More at
http://www.TimeSlips.org
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“It encourages
participants to be actively involved and to experience moments of
recognition, creation and celebration. Meaningful activities, such as
TimeSlips, promote positive social environments that are central to
person-centered care.”
The storytelling
program is an easy and affordable activity for long-term care facilities
to implement and allows caregivers to interact with multiple residents
at a time, Phillips said.
“TimeSlips
offers a stimulating alternative to typical activities in long-term care
facilities,” Phillips said.
“It is an
effective and simple option for care providers, especially those who
lack resources or skills required for art, music or other creative
interventions.”
In the study,
Phillips and her colleagues delivered the TimeSlips intervention in
one-hour sessions, held twice weekly for six consecutive weeks. The
results included increased expressions of pleasure and initiation of
social communication. Improvements in participants’ affect lasted
several weeks following the final session. The intervention is
acceptable for people with mild to moderate dementia, Phillips said.
Phillips worked
with Stephanie Reid-Arndt, assistant professor of health psychology in
the School of Health Professions, and Youngju Pak, assistant professor
of health management and informatics in the School of Medicine. The
study, “Effects of a Creative Expression Intervention on Emotions,
Communication, and Quality of Life in Persons with Dementia” was
published in Nursing Research.
>> More about
Alzheimer’s disease
>> More about
TimeSlips
>> More about
Lorraine Phillips, assistant professor in the Sinclair School of Nursing
>>
Alzheimer’s Association
>>
Alzheimer’s Facts and Figures 2010, Alzheimer’s Association
