Stitch in Time Review 2019

Stitch in Time Review 2019

Thanks to

for supporting this project.

www.artatruh.org Charity no. 1058323

‘Stitch in Time’ was set up as part of Art at the Heart’s participatory project strand in 2012, providing weekly creative art and reminiscence workshops on the RUH older patients units led by a professional artist, co-produced by textile students and volunteers.

During 2019, Art at the Heart’s visiting artist, Charlotte Stowell has been running workshops on one of the dementia-friendly wards. The weekly Stitch in Time workshops are informal and friendly usually with 8-10 patients taking part around a big table in the Combe Ward day room. Patients can choose what to make from a selection of paints, pens, fabric, wood, modelling materials, stencils, printing and other craft materials. Additional help is provided from hospital volunteers who have specialist dementia training.

Charlotte always tries to find out as much as possible about patients, so any creative activities can be tailored around the individual.

“Having talked with patients each week about their different interests, I realised how often the idea of gardens and gardening came up in our conversations. It was a theme patients really enjoyed talking about, so I decided to try a collaborative project for the group. We made 2 large bases for the garden landscape, which patients could add to each week by creating elements for the garden using different materials.”

Over the following weeks, patients contributed as little or as much as they felt like; which ranged from making a single flower or leaf, to a 2-hour session creating lots of different pieces with different materials. Each week, the 3D landscapes were placed in the middle of the table to help engage patients with the idea. To begin with the garden area looked bare and empty, so patients quickly thought about various ways they could to fill the space before making their modelled pieces.

Memories of playing in a garden, keeping animals, watching birds, growing flowers, the smell of a garden, hanging laundry, allotments and garden sheds were all discussed and shared as patients worked around the table each week.

Many of the patients are, or were, keen gardeners and spoke about their favourite things to grow and described their own gardens in great detail or gardens they remembered. Most weeks there were real flowers or vegetables on the table too, which patients enjoyed touching and smelling, including scented roses, purple beans, orange pumpkins and yellow courgettes which were all inspiration making colourful models. Some patients stayed in hospital over several weeks, so they worked on the project for 3 or 4 sessions,

One lady gradually filled little baskets and miniature terracotta pots with detailed modelled flowers and vegetables using polymer clay. Another patient said she often felt anxious and confused about not knowing what to do at activity sessions and worried about not understanding instructions, but as she had made something the week before it was more familiar to her, she said ‘I can relax and enjoy this’.

The hospital therapists have commented how these creative workshops can help to assess their patients. They can observe, for example, if a patient can listen and follow through with a process, such how to use a mould or make a model, and they can observe how patients use their hands with tools like rollers to assess strength and motor skills. Or for longer-term patients they can observe any changes from week to week.

There have been noticeable benefits for some patients who had worked on this as a group, with more interaction and improved communication skills.

Having interesting activities taking place, such as art or music, gives a patient more incentive and motivation to get up and participate, which can help maintain mobility and independence.

“The art group helps with socialisation for patients who may otherwise be worried and withdrawn. Working together helps to make them feel connected to a group and they often interact with each other in a humorous or supportive way.

I never fail to be impressed at the skills and ideas that are drawn out of patients during the session and at how individual contributions come together in one of the themed projects, There is often a very informal and joyful atmosphere in the room and patients who stay longer remember and look forward to the next session.” RUH Occupational Therapist The staff stressed the importance of having high quality participatory activities like this on a regular basis, embedded as part of the normal hospital routine. In addition to the art workshops, ‘Art at the Heart’ also provides a varied music programme ‘Soundbite’ for dementia patients at the RUH.

As well as being a colourful addition to the day room, the finished model is now being used by staff and visitors to see what patients can recognise and talk about in the modelled scene.

One patient studied the model closely and said, “It’s so detailed and so very alluring. It’s a chance to make another world! How wonderful.”

Another patient commented, “I can’t stop looking, as there’s so much to see. I think children would like it too.”

Family members visiting patients are always welcome to join the workshops and have enjoyed contributing to the garden with their own creations. They’ve said working together helps to provide a focus for conversations. For children visiting their grandparents or greatgrandparents, doing something fun and creative has made visiting the hospital a much more enjoyable experience for them.

It’s also been reassuring as a way for visitors to see first-hand that there are stimulating and enjoyable creative activities taking place in the hospital.

The garden model continues to evolve as patients add seasonal and temporary pieces, such as the poppies for Remembrance Day. Following on from this project, the workshops will be exploring some new themes for creative group work during 2020.

Autumnal-themed creations were made in the months of October and November. Charlotte prepared some basic 3D shapes using scrunched up newspaper covered in plaster bandage. Patients then covered the forms with paint, fabric, coloured tissue and natural objects to make colourful mushrooms, hedgehogs and owls.

A nativity scene and figures were made in December which was requested by Combe Ward for their Christmas event.

One week, making cushions from donated knitted squares was a successful activity. Patients used large plastic needles threaded with wool to stich the knitted squares together then filled the middles with stuffing. There were also some rectangular pieces, which were large enough to be folded in half to make a cushion. Patients said they enjoyed making something useful and the handmade cushions are now being used in the day room.

Testimonials “It’s nice to have done something for a change. I was feeling very down earlier but this has lifted me.”

Patient on Midford Ward

“It can be a challenge to motivate patients with dementia to get up and get moving but the Art Group provides a powerful 'fun' motivator to mobilise to the Day Room with a purpose.

We have learned that saying 'Would you like to come to Art Group?' tends to be met with an anxious or dismissive response (such as 'But I can't draw') whereas saying 'Come and do something different!' works better.

The art activities provide sensory feedback through the use of different materials and colours and themes, which can be very calming and evoke memories.

Patients gain a lot from the open structure of the activity where their ideas and memories can be harnessed and channelled by the Artists.” Physiotherapy Assistant “The cleverly graded activities also mean that everyone can participate regardless of their level of function. Patients gain pleasure and satisfaction from seeing their work displayed on the ward and the art work is a source of conversation and connection with families too - as well as brightening up the Day Room.

“I have noticed how engaged patients become whilst attending the group. It really gives them motivation and a purpose to get up and attend the day room. This means that we get the opportunity to get patients get up out of bed and moving without it seeming like "exercise" which helps to keep our patients as independently mobile as possible.

The use of fine motor skills, which can be incorporated into the Art group, enables patients to practice these skills alongside the social aspect of a shared experience with others.

Additionally, the person centered approach that Charlotte Stowell uses helps to make the art group a uniquely engaging and rewarding experience for all that attend.” Occupational Therapist