Creative writing and dementia care: 'making it real'

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Education
• Creative Arts Therapies

Background:

• Health professionals seek improved communication and self-worth strategies for dementia care.
• Creative writing's role in reflective practice for dementia care requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate creative writing techniques into dementia care reflective practice for health professionals.

Main Methods:

• A series of creative writing workshops were led by an experienced author.
• Participants included nursing students, a family carer, and care professionals working with individuals with dementia.

Main Results:

• Student nurses found creative writing exercises more impactful than traditional reflective models.
• Workshop attendees learned stress-reduction techniques and recognized writing's potential to foster creativity and alleviate anxiety in people with dementia.

Conclusions:

• Creative writing techniques can enhance reflective practice in dementia care.
• This approach may empower health professionals and family carers as creative partners in dementia care, though its value requires explicit acknowledgment within healthcare teams.