I want to thank you for listening.
You see, you are words.
Words can make or break you.
Sometimes people don’t listen,
They give you words back,
And they’re all broken, patched up.
But will you permit me
to say that you have
the stillness of silence,
That listens, and lasts.
This poem was written by a person with dementia as a result of a workshop run by John Killick, poet, writer and broadcaster who has been a writer in residence with people with dementia.
John, together with Kate Allan, a clinical psychologist who has worked in the dementia field for over ten years, ran a one-day workshop for Faith in Older People in January this year.
The Workshop, which was attended by 25 people, set out to explore the role of communication in underpinning the provision of care for the person with dementia, as well as its importance for the personhood and wellbeing of all concerned. Participants were invited to consider many aspects of communication including language, non-verbal channels, creativity and humour and gained many ideas for new ways of connecting with persons with dementia.
They will be running the same workshop in Stirling on 21st April and in Glasgow on 2nd June.
The response to the workshop was overwhelmingly positive:
“I found this very refreshing in approach – full of encouragement, positivity and passion for the subject. It was rewarding on both a personal and professional level.”Visit Kate and John’s website at www.dementiapositive.co.uk
“The workshop more than fulfilled my expectations – it raised issues that really matter about the essence of being.”
