While I was
in Canada the editor of Animated, the Foundation for Community Dance’s magazine
requested I write about my experience. I have submitted the article "
Yellow butterfly " describing my many interesting encounters in Vancouver.
The current issue (Autumn 2013) of Pulse the magazine archiving Indian dance
and music in the UK, has published an interview with me about my time in Canada
travelling as a Churchill fellow (www.pulseconnects.com)
Soon after
my return I was developing the second phase of our project "Fleeting
Moment" a dementia friendly performance. My discussions with Jeanne
Summerfield from The Society For The Arts In Dementia Care, Canada, proved
invaluable.
Some of the
sessions in Canada acted as a type of action research for the full production
‘Fleeting Moments’ – a dementia friendly piece performed a month after
returning from the fellowship at Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool
Louanna
Cocchiarella the co editor of the Canadian Alzheimer society's publication has
asked me to submit a brief article about the dementia friendly performance, for
their ‘I can, I will’ section.
I found the dance piece I choreographed in Vancouver in collaboration with the
dance artist Jacci Collins, very effective for "Fleeting Moment's outreach
sessions in care homes.
Again I used elements of that dance in my presentation for the Best Practice
Seminar in Sadler's Wells, organised by Arts4Dementia.
We will have
a dedicated webpage within Chaturangan's website.
I am currently
in discussion with Akademi, Indian dance UK, to provide training for their
Baring Foundation funded initiatives for work with older people. This will be
an excellent opportunity to share my learning with younger Indian dance artists.
The formal
and informal meetings and discussions have planted many seeds of new ideas.
I learnt
that in some settings even young people with mental heath issues are cared for
along with people at early stages of Dementia and more advanced condition. In
that situation they had to find activities that can be suitable for different
levels of ability. How can we develop what Jeanne Sommerfield refers as ‘Open
ended creative Incentives’? Something suitable for a group with mixed needs?
I
remember Connie the social worker at the
Wellness Centre who also works at the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, which
also supports the Chinese community, searching for activities for older people
that can be undertaken in water. They have a pool in the centre. She feels that
those coming with aches and pains may benefit from doing activities in the
water. This is an interesting thought and one I would love to address if I were
to get the opportunity.
The points
I have listed above are only the factual developments from the fellowship but
what I have gained from being in Canada, meeting its kind and caring people, getting
to know about the infrastructure of their care provision for seniors, the respectful
attitude of their service industry, their openhearted welcome goes much deeper. It will sustain me for years to come. |