Working With People

Living Words is an arts charity that aims to make marginalised people to be better heard and understood. We began life at St Thomas’ Hospital in London in 2007. By listening to people staying in the elderly care unit, Susanna Howard saw how much one-on-one communication in the moment, using sound, silence and spoken & written words, benefited those with late-stage dementia. Those discoveries were fed into Living Words residencies over subsequent years in care homes, nursing homes, community centres, arts centres, day centres, libraries, theatres and hospitals.

The artists and writers on our team ‘listen out loud’. They engage one-to-one and face-to-face with people experiencing a late-stage dementia – and those who feel isolated or disempowered in other ways – listening to and reflecting their words to help them feel heard and valued. To share this work with a wider audience, Living Words develops some individuals’ words as inspiration for high-quality arts events, and other collaborations in the cultural sector.

IN CARE HOMES

In care home residencies, over the course of 8 to 15 weeks, professional writers, actors and artists collaborate and work one-to-one with residents living with late-stage dementias. The artists and writers on our team ‘listen out loud’. They engage one-to-one and face-to-face with people experiencing a dementia, listening to and reflecting their words in order to express their feelings in the moment, and to feel heard and valued. Employing the Listen Out Loud methodology, they work in a creative partnership with the project member, to make a book to keep, with an additional copy for the care team. Relatives receive additional electronic copies. Workshops with care home staff are a also crucial part of the residency, with members of staff co-creating their own Living Words books. A final sharing brings together all those connected with the project to celebrate and hear the words of residents and staff. Staff also receive participation certificates. Through this process, friends and families develop a greater understanding of the project member’s thoughts and feelings, which can help to plan to best to care for and support the individual’s needs.

IN COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE'S HOMES

In 2019 we began running projects with people affected by dementias and living at home. These projects were in partnerships with local authorities, town councils, libraries and arts organisations, and consist of working with people with a dementia, and also their friends, partners or carers. Running over 5 – 8 sessions, project members co-create their own Living Words books. Our writers also work on an ongoing basis with privately funded participants. At the end of the residency we have a celebration event and sharing of words, often within a larger community setting. There may also be additional artistic outcomes for the community to share, for example - high quality posters to go around the town featuring words and images of people living with dementia. Contact us to discuss in more details.

SUPPORTING CARE HOME STAFF

It can be easy for people who give so much of themselves to others to forget to nurture themselves. We give staff creative ways to look after their own needs so they can be better placed to care for the needs of others. Staff are engaged right from the start of each Living Words residency. Through a series of workshops, we help them understand how best to incorporate the Living Words programme into their care homes, and a number of care staff also experience the Listen Out Loud process and receive their own Living Words book.

The workshop sessions encourage them to reflect and inspire them to think creatively, so that they are better equipped to communicate with their residents using the Living Words books. Hosting a Living Words residency gives staff a chance to express how they feel about the words of the participants, and ultimately a better understanding of the people in their care.

Every home needs to have a Living Words residency. How did we not know the emotions of our residents? The books of their words are now informing their care plans. You have made a real difference to our residents, staff and relatives.

Isobel Nyirenda, manager at Meadows House, Kidbrooke.

“You can see they’ve opened up. It helps in so many ways… They have worked with people that usually can’t join in groups… This is the best project we have ever done. Thank you.”

Phyllis Etukondu, Activity Co-ordinator, Westmead

“I have been waiting 15 years for someone to help me hear how the residents are feeling and thinking. Thank you.”

Anon carer, Islington

"When I listed to Lorette’s poem I felt amazed and I could not refrain my tears. It was really hard to believe that a person with such an advanced state of dementia could talk like that and express herself in such a poetic manner… like a glimmer of light from the darkness of her illness." Cristina, Butterworth Centre, London.

About us

Living Words is an Arts and Literature charity transforming lives and relationships since 2007.