Poetry That Empowers
Creating Moments Of Joy And Feelings Of Love The impact of creativity on people living with dementia is slowly transforming the way they are cared for. Creative activities have been shown to not only prevent or delay the onset of dementia, but they can also reduce depression, agitation, and isolation by providing the power of choice and decision making. We’ve all seen the videos of non-verbal adults with dementia awakening when music from their youth is played. Researchers say this dramatic transformation is the result of musical memories being stored in areas of the brain that are not affected. Watching films and reading books from their youth can have a similar, positive impact. For these reasons, it’s a good idea to ask your spouse or parents to make a playlist of their favorite music, films, and books. It can dramatically improve the quality of their life in the years ahead. One area less studied but that is now producing impressive results is a poetry facilitation process developed by Molly Middleton Meyer, a memory care expert and advocate for those living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. “The first time I did this, the caregivers stood there with their mouths open,” recalls Molly. “They saw people do and say things that they didn’t know were possible.” We sat in on one of Molly’s facilitations to witness the impact firsthand. After warmly greeting each of her “resident poets,” the session takes flight. Molly says, “I love birds, don’t you?” “Oh yes!” answers one of the residents. “They can fly!” says another. “You know what …?” Molly continues, “I’ve got some items that remind me of birds. May I show them to you?” With that, she begins pulling objects from a large bag and sharing each of the treasures she unveils. There’s a birdcage, a nest, a peacock feather, a stuffed toy owl
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and a bird with a long red tail. Everyone is encouraged to touch each one as Molly’s questions slowly awaken their imaginations. “Look closely at this nest. What is it made of?” “Sticks!” blurts one woman. “Exactly! Isn’t it amazing that they collect sticks and pieces of paper to make a safe home for their babies?” This is an important aspect of Molly’s process, and one now endorsed by The Museums Association, which maintains that when people see, handle, or discuss objects in a museum’s collection, it triggers memories and stimulates conversation. Some forward-thinking museums now take collections into residential memory care settings and the results have been encouraging. But handling and discussing objects is only the beginning of Molly’s process. She celebrates every comment and gains their trust by making it clear that there are no wrong answers. In many ways, wrong answers have defined their lives since first being diagnosed. Many people living with dementia are easily frustrated and quickly withdraw from fears of inadequacy or embarrassment. “May I read you a poem about birds?” Molly asks. “It’s one of my favorites.” She reads a short poem and says, as if thinking the thought for the first time, “You know what? Let’s write our own poem about birds! I’ll help, but it will be your words, your poem. I know your poem will be even better than the one we just heard.” “I don’t think I’ve ever written a poem,” someone says. “I don’t want to,” adds another. “Let’s try,” encourages Molly. “It’s fun and you’ll be amazed. It’s kind of magical.” Intrigued, they agree. Molly is using sensory objects in combination with poetry recitation to stimulate long-forgotten memories and flashes of imagination. “I start with an idea and get the train moving, but you never really know where it’s going to end up,” she says with a smile. “We were doing a poem about the moon recently and someone thought I said ‘mule.’ That sparked a memory. So, we were off and running with a poem about mules. Sometimes, you just have to jump on board and enjoy the ride.” Molly uses each object that she’s shared, displaying them on a table in front of her poets, as a springboard for creative expression. “What do you think this bird is doing? What is she drinking?” The answers come slowly at first, but Molly waits patiently, encouraging, directing, and inspiring. “Good word! Oh, that’s interesting! I love that!” As she prompts, she
