Maria S Parsons

Creativity and Communication

Overview• What is communication?

• How do we communicate?

• How does dementia affect communication?

• Creative arts and dementia

‘My brain feels like a muddle’

Communication • Spoken word

• Written word

• Body & facial language

• Braille & Talking mats

Non verbal communication

William Utermohlen:self portraits

Dementia: difficulties in communicationEarly signs• Repetitive speech• Word finding• Difficulty finding the correct word, particularly the names of objects, places, people • Substituting an incorrect word • Later signs• Difficulties in using language/ finding words • Misinterpreting visual signals so that a man’s daughter may be called ‘wife’ • Perseveration: repetition of word/phrase/sound• Eventually all language may be lost

Communication in the brain

Different mental activities take place in different parts of the brain. Positron emission tomography (PET) scans can measure this activity. Chemicals tagged with a tracer “light up” activated regions shown in red and yellow show the brain at work

Common communication difficulties• Asking the same question/ telling the same

story• Difficulty starting & continuing

conversations• Trouble following a conversation especially

when a group of people are talking• Frustration in finding words • Trouble following sequenced information

e.g. television programmes• Starting to say something and then

forgetting the thread• Fabricating - saying things that are not true

Aphasia

‘A disorder of language affecting the content of speech and how it is created and its understanding.’

Aphasia (also known as dysphasia) is commonly accompanied by difficulties in:

• Reading and writing. • With general conversation • Answering the telephone • Watching TV • Listening to the radio

Social & personal relationships can become very strained

Helpful responses• Take responsibility for bridging the communication

gap• Reduce obstacles to communication • Get attention -use the person’s preferred name• Avoid confrontation • Speak clearly and calmly• Face to face and use gestures • Summarise, wait and listen!• If helpful use objects/pictures • Clarify feelings and acknowledge difficulties

What else affects communication?

• Internal environment : e.g. pain, hunger, depression

• Sensory environment: e.g. eyesight & hearing

• Behavioural environment: e.g. anxiety• Physical environment: e.g. noise

Environmental stressors

The physical environment of care homes and busy hospital wards is often noisy.

Creative artsPeople with dementia respond well to music, film, photography, drama, singing, dance, visual art, ceramics, poetry• Lights Up arts and memory club, Chipping Norton• Modern Art Oxford: Lost In Time And Space –

intergenerational film making• Coffee concerts at Jacqueline de Pre• Oxford City and County Council: Reminiscence

groups, memory boxes & Dancing for Parkinson’s with English National Ballet

• Age of Opportunity website

Communicating through art

I found I could say things

with colour and shapes that I couldn't say

any other way – things I had no words for 

Georgia O'Keeffe

Summary• The loss of verbal communication and making

ourselves understood is crucial for social relationships

• ‘Social death proceeds actual death’• Responsibility for bridging the communication

gap is ours• Use every means possible to communicate• Promote creative arts as one of the ways of

communication• Contact me info@creativedementia.org• THANK YOU