Story Box
Story Box is an ongoing project designed for older people with particular focus on those with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. It was developed by the Library Theatre Company in partnership with organizations providing support services for older people in local communities such as day centres, sheltered accommodation schemes and hospital day units, as well as older people themselves.
The project aims to create a comfortable creative environment in which participants can take an active role in drama based activities, storytelling and play. Workshops take place with participating groups at their own base over an eight week period when two professional performers deliver weekly sessions. Each session beings with the opening of the Story Box which contains a selection of props and costumes that are used as inspiration for the workshop. Participants are supported by the professional performers to interact with the objects to create their own stories and improvised performances. After the first session the contents of the Story Box for subsequent workshops are selected on the basis of the direction that the group has chosen to take. This means that each participating group is able to design their own unique and personal journey.
The project has been designed specifically with the needs of people with Alzheimer’s and dementia in mind. The work is flexible and responsive and participants are able to engage as much or as little as feels comfortable. They are also able to drive the speed of the workshops spending as short or long as they want on different activities before they move on.
At the end of the project groups are offered the possibility to share the work that they have been doing with friends and family. So far groups have shared work that has included a murder mystery play, a journey to a 1950s seaside resort and a star studded Hollywood awards ceremony.
Community Inspired
By working in small groups with older people over a number of weeks it is possible to establish trust with participants. It also means that the workshop becomes part of the routine in the different places that we are working so participants are able to remember the sessions and look forward to them. The feedback we have received is that the sessions have often become a much anticipated event for older people who may find it difficulty with memory or with taking part in activities that do not fit into their routine. The performers who lead the sessions also built up a real rapport with the participants who clearly enjoyed their company and the opportunity to get to know new people.
The flexible and informal nature of the project also meant that it was accessible to older people who may have previously found culture inaccessible.
- So far we have worked with 4 different groups on this project with over 35 older people taking part.
- The majority of participants who took part had specific mental health needs and one of the groups was made up entirely of older people with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
- Three of the participating groups decided to share their work with family and friends and these events were well attended and well received.
- Three of the participating groups are very keen to continue developing this kind of creative activity and the Library Theatre Company are working with them to investigate ways that this may be possible.
Permanent staff who work with all the groups who have taken part in the project so far commented upon how beneficial they felt the sessions were for the older people that they were working with. The staff who work with the group of older people with Alzheimer’s and dementia were particularly inspired by the way that the participants came out of their shells during the workshops and really relished taking part.
Finally, the project demonstrates the possibilities that can be created for people in their own communities through partnership working between a cultural organization such as the Library Theatre Company and frontline service providers such as day centres, hospitals and sheltered accommodation schemes.
I just wanted to drop you an email to let you know what a success the Library Theatre project has been here. Lowri and Sara were fantastic every week and built up a really good rapport with all of our residents. It has been the highlight of the week for the residents and ourselves.