"We know all these lovely things," she said,
"but," spreading her hands in frustration,"where can we put them?"
--S., living with Alzheimer's
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Art Sparker pointed me toward an interesting possible response:
artmaking at places like Creative Growth, including the work of artist Judith Scott > > >
"a visual artist isolated from outside influences as a result of the impact of deafness and Down’s syndrome."
http://creativegrowth.org/artists/judith-scott
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Art Sparker pointed me toward an interesting possible response:artmaking at places like Creative Growth, including the work of artist Judith Scott > > >
"a visual artist isolated from outside influences as a result of the impact of deafness and Down’s syndrome."
http://creativegrowth.org/artists/judith-scott
What an opportunity you have to educate and expand understanding from within the dementia community, but even more to those of us who aren't there yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd how poignant is S's lament? I know how frustrated I am upon occasion when I can't find the right place to put a thought or find an answer as quickly as I once was; but her question goes to the heart of the matter to a degree I can only imagine.
You have it in you to write a book, I suspect.
ReplyDeleteWhich reminds me of this,
http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/11/15/362310725/how-hema-ramaswamy-found-healing-through-traditional-indian-dance
CROW: I wince when I say something about dementia because I'm such a newcomer, but I hope my very newness gives me a fresh, untainted perspective.
ReplyDeleteYes, S. is very creative and smart, and I can see her frustration as she bumps up against the limitations the disease imposes. It's hard, and yet she's incredibly positive and resilient---I'd really like to find a way to get her more involved in art-making.
ZHOEN: A book could definitely be compiled of smart & funny things people with dementia say.
Woww---cool article about the young woman with Down's who dances the traditional Indian dance.
I liked this transformation of mud into the cosmos too--very fitting:
"Ramaswamy's arangetram is 2 1/2 hours long and consists of 10 different dances. One is about the god Krishna, who, as a baby, starts devouring mud. Dancers usually try to mimic baby Krishna, but Ramaswamy becomes him. She then pivots into the role of Krishna's angry mother, who discovers her filthy son and orders him to open his mouth. But instead of finding mud, she finds planets, stars, galaxies — an entire unknown cosmos lying within. This is the dance that brings the audience to tears."
lad you enjoyed the Creative Growth link.
ReplyDelete