A Creative Approach to Dementia Care
Emory partnered with Georgia State and local artists and educators to create the Improving Care through Improv program. (Above, Dad’s Garage Theatre Company improv group in Atlanta)
Emory partnered with Georgia State and local artists and educators to create the Improving Care through Improv program. (Above, Dad’s Garage Theatre Company improv group in Atlanta)
Having dementia changes everything, from perspective to orientation. Each change, though, holds an opportunity for family care partners to meet people living with dementia “where they are now.” But how?
To answer this question, the collaboration Improving Care through Improv was formed among Emory clinicians, Georgia State University gerontologists, local theatre improvisers, and community educators. Funded by Georgia Gear, a geriatrics workforce program funded by the US Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Emory Roybal Center for Dementia Caregiving Mastery, this pilot program teaches non-professional caregivers improvisation skills to foster empathetic and effective communication.
Led by Dad’s Garage Theatre Company, the program teaches improvisation techniques to help caregivers navigate unexpected conversations and situations with empathy and flexibility. One such technique is the “yes, and …” principle. Through this method, caregivers validate the care recipient’s experience by replying with “yes and …” as opposed to “no, that’s untrue.”
This approach spares those living with dementia from having to repeatedly confront harsh realities, such as the loss of a spouse.
“Improv encourages caregivers to meet patients where they are, fostering empathetic and responsive interactions”.
Workshops are designed for family care partners, professional caregivers, and students.
Members from the program, researchers, and Emory Integrated Memory Care studied how improv training may support dementia care, transitioning its use to an evidence-based practice.
The study identified four key approaches used by effective care partners that align with improv principles: knowing the person, meeting people where they are, being in the moment, and viewing every encounter as an opportunity for meaningful engagement.
According to the study, using improv is a kinder, gentler way to help caregivers relate to those living with dementia as they encounter changes and new challenges.
Over the past two years, this program has expanded to nursing homes, assisted living communities, and professional conferences.
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To learn more, visit the Improving Care through Improv website dadsgarage.com/care. |
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