The best kind of care is like sunshine

1
The best kind of care is like sunshine -
accessing older peoples views through creative
writing

• Christine Brown-Wilson
• Josie Tetley
• Joan Healey
• River Walton

2
Story telling, narratives and creative writing

• Recent renewed interest
• Long history in health and social care
• Provide insights into peoples meaning, context
  and perspective of their situation
• Can give insights into the effects of culture,
  history to individuals views of illness, care
  and treatments.

3
User involvement in health and social care

• Increased pressure for and interest in user
  involvement in research and practice development
• Questions about which users involved and
  consulted
• Voices and views of older people in care homes

4
Storytelling/creative writing

• used by people to make sense of events
• communicate values and identity of self, can
  contribute to active ageing and wellbeing
• flexible but supported writing activities
• art of writing
• needs time, resources and support

• Process
• Power
• Practice
• Prose or poem
• Planned activity

5
The workshops

• One care home in large northern city
• Open to all residents
• Participants recruited by activity coordinator
• Seven workshop over eight weeks
• Up to 10 people in each
• One to one assistance
• 2 hours in length with a break
• Each person given own book
• Consent sought regarding project teams access to
  and use of personal writing outputs.

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Content of workshops

• Introductory warm up activity e.g. acrostics
• Themed activity e.g. using prompts
• Supported writing activity
• Sharing personal writings with the group

7
The writings

• Writings read and considered in entirety,
• Reflection on process of and writings that
  emerged from workshop activities,
• Thematic analysis

8
Five key themes

• being confronted by loss
• unlocking memories
• re-discovering the self
• change and adaptation
• giving and receiving care.

9
Being confronted by loss

• On reflection, I can see how strongly the
  writing group confronted participants with the
  loss of their abilities to write and to read. At
  the beginning several expressed their frustration
  at not being able to read books any more, and
  their keen sense of having lost the literature
  they loved.
• River Wolton- writer/ workshop facilitator

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Unlocking memories

• This key opens the gate to a beautiful garden,
  stirring memories of past times spent sitting
  there, in happier times, the sun on my back (Joan)

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Re-discovering the self

• Just a short little name
• Ordinary lacking in fame
• Always helpful
• Never one to complain
• (Joan acrostic)

12
Change and adaptation

• The first time I came to name of care home I
  wondered how I was going to fit in after being a
  housewife in a small bungalow. After being here
  for 3 ½ years Im still adjusting its very
  difficult. Some of the staff and clientele are
  most helpful and I found myself quick to make
  friends. I knew it was the end of my
  independence. But Ive learned to mix with
  people, to fit in.

13
Giving and receiving care

• Not just a professional activity
• My friend Amy has helped me the most and another
  friend David who was always a willing helper.
  Amys always there at the right time to move my
  chair from one room to another. If Im worried
  shes always there for me to talk to.

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Giving and receiving care

• The best kind of care is like sunshine
• You are being caressed
• A warm feeling on your skin through the thin
  blouse youre wearing.

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The best kind of care is like sunshine -
accessing older peoples views through creative
writing

• Christine Brown-Wilson
• Josie Tetley
• Joan Healey
• River Walton