Creative Support: Building Bonds Through Play for People with Early Onset Dementia and Their Caregivers

德比大学和北安普敦大学将就一个新的戏剧研讨会的影响进行研究，该研讨会针对65岁以下的年轻痴呆症患者及其照顾者(S饰)。该项目将开发一个可在家中使用的工具包，提供超出该项目范围的产出。项目负责人拥有与痴呆症患者和戏剧疗法合作的专业知识，这对本研究的目标至关重要。对痴呆症患者使用抗逆转录病毒疗法的兴趣越来越大。这些活动往往侧重于通过音乐、舞蹈和博物馆参与，并针对那些在晚年生活和/或在疗养院的人。对于65岁以下和居住在社区的人来说，很少关注使用戏剧。这项研究旨在找出患有痴呆症的年轻人和他们的照顾者(S)是否觉得参加戏剧工作坊有好处，以及这种方法是否加强了与这一群体的关系。该项目将探索在研讨会期间或之后在家里使用戏剧技术的潜力，并在会议期间制作的个性化工具包的帮助下。这项研究将解决对戏剧在支持年轻痴呆症患者和他们的照顾者(S)方面的作用的理解上的差距。该项目将邀请两组五对人，一名年轻痴呆症患者和他们的照顾者(S)，参加每周10次的戏剧工作坊。每节课两个小时，有时间喝咖啡。来自英国痴呆症的一名戏剧专家、两名研究人员和一名志愿痴呆症专家将提供支持。这些研讨会基于一种名为神经戏剧的方法(Jennings，2011)。NDP是一种关系模型，它将弹性、应对能力构建为创造性的发挥。它使用节奏、游戏和感官方面来支持人与人之间的联系。NDP最初是为儿童开发的，现已成功地用于老年痴呆症患者(Jaaniste 2017)。在这一适应的基础上，Creative Support将对较年轻的痴呆症患者和他们的照顾者(S)使用这种新颖的方法。工作坊将利用一系列活动，包括戏剧、角色扮演、讲故事、声音、艺术和音乐制作、动作和节奏，来创作图像、场景和故事。项目将使用混合方法的案例研究设计，数据收集在工作坊的开始、结束和8个月后。纵向数据将探索更长期变化的可能性。这些方法将包括：录制戏剧研讨会、采访和研讨会后反思的视频，并使用有效的测量方法：生活质量、韧性和依恋。一群患有较年轻痴呆症的患者、他们的照顾者(S)、痴呆症患者和创意艺术专家将组成一个咨询小组，帮助测试将该项目推向更大规模全国研究的想法和方法。该小组将帮助开发研讨会和工具包的想法，并将试验不同的研究方法。专家小组将就如何使用这些方法进行反馈，分享其感受，为如何计划未来的研究提供有价值的信息。该项目的好处可能是改善参与者的生活质量和管理痴呆症诊断的能力，以及这对他们与照顾者的关系的影响(S)。该项目将提供有关戏剧交付的新知识和家庭工具包，供服务提供商和项目外的痴呆症患者使用。它将导致关于NDP改编的知识，对其他艺术家、戏剧和痴呆症服务有益。还将获得关于适当的研究方法的知识，以收集关于艺术参与的影响的数据。这将为治疗艺术、衰老和痴呆症的研究人员提供宝贵的知识，包括评估他们自己的工作的支持服务。

Derby and Northampton Universities will conduct research on the impact of a new drama workshop for people with younger onset dementia and their caregiver(s), aged under 65 years. The project will develop a toolkit to be used at home, offering an output with reach beyond this project. The project leads have expertise in working with people with dementia and drama therapy, which are central to the aims of this research. There has been an increasing interest in using arts with people with dementia. These tend to focus on engagement through music, dance and museums, and are aimed at those in later life and/or in care homes. There is little focus on using drama for those under the age of 65 and who live in the community. The research aims to find out if younger people with dementia and their caregiver(s) feel there is a benefit in attending the drama workshops, and whether this approach strengthens relationships with this group. The project will explore the potential for drama techniques to be used at home between or after the workshops, with the aid of a personalised toolkit, made during the sessions. This research will address a gap in understanding the role of drama to support those with younger onset dementia and their caregiver(s).The project will invite two groups of five pairs, a person with younger onset dementia and their caregiver(s), to attend 10-weekly drama workshops. Each session will be two hours, with time for coffee. Support will be provided by a drama expert, two researchers and a volunteering dementia expert from Dementia UK. The workshops are based on a method called Neuro Dramatic Play (Jennings 2011). NDP is a relational model that builds resilience, the ability to cope, into creative play. It uses rhythm, play and sensory aspects to support the bonds between people. Originally developed for use with children, NDP has successfully been adapted for use with older people with dementia (Jaaniste 2017). Drawing on this adaptation, Creative Support will use this novel approach with people with younger onset dementia and their caregiver(s). The workshops will draw upon a range of activities, including: drama, role-play, storytelling, sound, art and music making, movement and rhythm, to create images, scenes and stories.The project will use a mixed methods case study design, with data collected at the start, end, and 8 months post workshops. The longitudinal data will explore the potential for longer lasting changes. The methods will include: video recordings of the drama workshops, interviews and post workshop reflections, and use of validated measures on: quality of life, resilience, and attachment.A group of people living with younger onset dementia, their caregiver(s), dementia and creative arts experts will form a consultation panel to help test the ideas and methods that shape the project towards a larger national study. The panel will help to develop ideas for the workshops, toolkit, and will trial different research methods. The panel will feedback on using these methods, sharing what it felt like, providing valuable information on how to plan for a future study. Benefits of the project could be improved quality of life and ability to manage a dementia diagnosis for participants and the impact that this has on their relationship with their caregiver(s). This project will provide new knowledge on the delivery of drama and an at home toolkit for use by service providers and people with dementia outside of this project. It will lead to knowledge on the adaptation of NDP, of benefit to other artists, drama and dementia services. Knowledge will also be gained on suitable research methods to capture data on impact of arts engagement. This will provide valuable knowledge for researchers of therapeutic arts, ageing and dementia including supporting services to evaluate their own work.