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This week, I began a series of poetry workshops in Care Homes for C&C (Central & Cecil), who manage homes and sheltered housing schemes for older people across London and beyond.
I knew that many of the residents I would be working with would have dementia at varying stages. I have been preparing as much as possible by talking to friends and colleagues & researching. I read an interesting interview about how dementia can worsen if the person is treated badly.
I was apprehensive about the workshops, having little experience of Care Homes, apart from visiting my grandmother and our family is still troubled by the way she was treated. It is a very different story at C&C and I was comforted by my initial visit a couple of weeks ago to one of the Care Homes – where all of the residents have dementia and some are at the advanced stages. I walked into a bright, sunny space and the care staff showed such genuine love and patience to the residents. I was introduced to everybody and many hands gripped me tight.
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When I returned to run the workshop this week – I brought along flowers, strawberries and prints of Matisse postcards from The Cut-Outs Exhibition at Tate Modern. The theme of our workshops is Bringing the Outside In and this is something that Matisse also did, when he was frail. He brought nature into his home with his cut-outs, so that he could continue to enjoy its colour and beauty.
I need not have been afraid. Throughout the hour & a half workshop, we engaged with every resident, we laughed with them, listened, talked to them and when it came to sharing a poem by Eleonar Farjeon about Summer memories that I had found – one of the residents volunteered to read it. There was such deep listening and it was incredibly powerful. She was living and breathing the poem as she read and she carried us along with her.
I am so grateful for being welcomed into the Homes and to be reminded that all you need is a little love, respect and a few strawberries.
Next at Creative Writes…
After the success of our Summer Surgery and the Colourful Writes Themed Workshop, we are looking forward to our new block of three July Tuesdays on 15, 22, 29 July, 7.30-9.30pm. We will be writing outside if the weather continues to be this good!
The July Tuesdays are followed by our popular Creating Character Themed Workshop on Wednesday 30 July, 7.30-9.30pm.
All workshops are held at the inspiring North Bank house & gardens, Muswell Hill, N10.
Advanced Booking only. Just ten places on each workshop.
For info & booking:
https://www.creativewrites.co.uk/p/bookings-workshop-info-how-to-book.html
Bye for now…
Nichola