News

It’s time to tell a story. Participants in our Grand Way Adult Day Program gather around the room, a picture in hand. Phyllis Boczar, LNA, starts by asking a question about the photo. As people share what they see, Francesca Creta-Merrill, Site Manager, captures everything that is said on a big pad of paper. When they are done, the written words are gathered together and read back for the group to hear the story they created.

This group-based program is called TimeSlips™.

This creative story telling method for people with dementia is brought to Vermont for the first time by Francesca, who is a TimeSlips™ certified facilitator. Done one-on-one or in a group, this method encourages people with memory loss to express themselves and connect with others using creativity and imagination rather than memory or fact.

“Everyone enjoys our time together creating these stories,” says Francesca. “They can share and be creative and no answer is wrong. It doesn’t become frustrating for anyone. People with memory impairment are still able to create and the stories we write together prove this ability.”

By asking open-ended questions, participants are free to say anything without worry that it’s incorrect or doesn’t make sense. The courage to speak up and be creative is applauded and rewarded. Responses are woven into a story format that is periodically read back to the group during a TimeSlips session. Often times, the stories are whimsical and fun, while also containing details from participants’ lives.

“The group loves to hear what they have contributed to,” Francesca says. “It makes them feel connected, like they have a part in this story when they hear their responses read.”

To learn more about the TimeSlips program at the UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice, visit www.vnacares.org/dementiacare.