Demented
Poetry – Poetry as a Mental Health Treatment
Poetry’s ability to sum up the light and shade of human life has been one
of its enduring qualities. “Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the
world”, wrote Shelley, while American author James Branch Cabell said “poetry
is man’s rebellion against being what he is”.
The poems written by those taking part in Living Words’ work are a
rebellion against a very personal form of oppression – the effects of dementia.
For the last six years, London-based writer Susanna Howard has been working on
a project with patients living with dementia, writing down their words during
conversations carried out during residencies in care homes.
The project came about
after Howard helped a friend with a dance project based at a hospital. After
meeting the head of a local hospital trust’s arts events, she began working
with dementia patients in an elderly care unit.
“After the first day in
the hospital ward at
Howard’s conversations
with those living with dementia have been collated into poems. The poems are
more than just an artistic expression. They are included in the person’s
medical notes, giving the people caring for them more of an insight into the
person living with the condition.
Howard tells BBC Culture
just how the project came about, and the effect it has already has on those
helping create it: “When I was a teenager my grandmother had dementia – when we
just called it ‘doolally’ and nothing was really
done. However, she died before she got to the depth of the condition a
lot of people I work with have reached.”
Describe the process you
go through collating the poems.
“The process we now work
in is very clear – the words a person speaks are written and recorded as they
speak, we record so that we can always check that what is written is
correct. These words are then edited down in to pieces - the most
important point here is that no words are ever added to a person’s words and
they are not jiggled around. Thematically sections may come together but the
‘meaning’ must stay clear. The pieces are read to the person during the
next session if this feels right and depending upon the person they may state
desired changes and add a title. Over the subsequent sessions the pieces come
together that will be in that person’s Living Words Word Book. Every
person who takes part has their own book and if possible they choose an image
for the front. These books then act as communication bridges for staff, relatives
and the individual. The length of the books vary from
one page (plus covers) to 50. Working with staff is central to the work and
they continue to use the books once we leave.”
Is it difficult sometimes
making sense of what’s being spoken?
“As a person experiences
dementia their relationship with language usually changes over time.
People perhaps use language that more directly links to their emotions and what
they want to say than the rest of us (this is connected to there being more
‘free space’ on the right side of the brain). It can be extremely hard
for words to come and we validate all words and sounds that are uttered - words
and expressions that seem nonsense can in fact be directly metaphoric, or just
need to be said. For example, a person will use words that wouldn't be used in
ordinary conversation: 'Everything was all packed up and plopped over with'; 'These people, in to the third act' 'Some round here are all
embers'; 'They don't say much this tribe'. In not finding the 'right' word
people might use replacement words without realising.
“People will often talk
about death and spirits and I don’t see this as being ‘dark’. It can be hard
when a person really wants to die but through the process we use this is all
heard, validated and expressed - it doesn’t take the desire away but it can be
a relief to be heard. We focus so much on keeping people alive in this
society and I believe it is cruel to not even allow open dialogue about death -
these people are nearing the end of their lives and have a right to talk about
this, however it comes out.
“As a writer of course
there can be moments when one has a ping of, ‘Wow, what an amazing expression’,
but one has to be aware of that and so share that feeling back with the person
- we are in the experience together. For example a woman on my last
project said: “I’m watching the world go by / Arranging
a contract to spend my emotions / There’s a bin over there to take the
overflow.” Amazing.
“I very much believe that
this is life and to be embraced - only through engaging in the darkness do we
see who we really are and glimpse what this life is.”
Have you noticed a change
in the people as they speak more?
“There have been many
changes in people I have worked with and I am constantly surprised at how powerful
the work can be. I have worked with people who have very few words - I am
thinking of one person who I worked with for whom this was the case, the people
who worked with him were shocked and surprised by his profound poem which he
called 'a call to arms, positive action', the carers
in his care home now call him 'the Philosopher' and understand that he
understands them.
“This work is about
relationship and like all relationships sometimes we can meet people and click
straight away, sometimes it takes much longer, and sometimes the click never
happens. Once a relationship is established the work can begin. It is
very important that people always know that they are in charge and are leading
every session - I am reminded of a woman I worked with who after a lot of
silence spoke to me of her feelings and situation in life. Once I had written
it down she asked me to cross it out, we went through every word - I read it
and then she said cross out and I did it. After this we began again;
through crossing the words out she realised she could
trust me.”
Have the people involved
been shown the poems? What has their reaction been?
“Everyone who has one to
one Living Words sessions has their own Living Words book – they can be from
one page to 50 pages. A large part of Living Words is when a person has
their words read back to them – when this happens the person may not recall me
or our time together but when they hear their words they say ‘That’s right,
that’s how it is’ and when you say ‘These are your words’ and do the reading
back technique we employ, I believe it improves a person’s sense of self, of
being heard and of being valid.
“The reaction varies from
person to person but I am always humbled by how much the books mean to the
people I work with. Whether they recall me or the experience the book
speaks how they feel - our words resonate within us. A participant, on hearing
their words recently said ‘That is exactly it, yes’ and we said ‘These are your
words’ and the person said ‘Are they? How great. This is the truth of it’.”
Stephen Dowling
6th September
2013
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20130906-poems-offer-glimpse-into-dementia