Abstract

Establishing playfulness as an essential component of dementia care, this positive and uplifting book will be key in changing attitudes and providing ideas for new and valuable ways of interacting and being with individuals with the condition.

John Killick explores the nature of playfulness and the many ways in which it can enrich the lives of people with dementia, including as a means of maintaining relationships and communication, supporting communication and generally lifting the spirits. Specific approaches already in existence are described, including improvised drama, clowning and laughter yoga, and a chapter on the playful approach to art and craft activities is also included. Personal accounts of playfulness by individuals with dementia, relatives and an actor with a decade's experience of using playful approaches with people with dementia offer rich first-hand insights into its transformative potential. Throughout the book, the importance of spontaneity and of being with the person with dementia in the present moment is emphasised, and the reader is encouraged to develop a playful mindset. A selection of colour photographs amply demonstrate playful approaches in action.

Offering a fresh and perhaps unexpected perspective, this book is essential reading for dementia care practitioners and managers, activity coordinators, therapists, people with dementia and their relatives, and anyone else concerned with the wellbeing of those with the condition.

John Killick has worked with people with dementia for over 16 years, in care homes, day centres, hospital wards and in their own homes. He is known internationally for his pioneering poetry work, but has also explored the possibilities of using a variety of other art forms to enhance communication. He is passionately committed to providing opportunities for people with dementia everywhere to take part in creative activities, and has lectured, written, broadcast and run training sessions on the subject in a number of different countries. He is currently Writer in Residence for Alzheimer Scotland and runs an improvised drama group for the Scottish Dementia Working Group. He is the co-author of Creativity and Communication in Persons with Dementia, also published by JKP.
This book tickled my fancy. Just as many lonely hearts advertisements specify a GSOH as their top priority in a soulmate, I would specify the same requirement for those providing support and care to me and my family. This is not to trivialise the experience of living with dementia, but rather a recognition that laughter can help us through the most difficult places. This book is full of ways to connect people through fun. There is nothing disrespectful or silly about the words in this book. It is full of compassion and honesty. It will supply you with a springboard to joy.
Professor Dawn Brooker, Director of the Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester
(...)humour, silliness and playfulness can be enjoyed by many people with dementia... Play is the key to opening doors to creativity, spontaneity, engagement and relationships... This recently published book is (...) a collection of inspirational stories... In my opinion, every facility should have a copy of this book. It gives joy, inspiration and ideas for play... Reading this book was a joy for me. I would recommend John's book to everyone involved in dementia care. This includes healthcare staff as well as management staff.
Dr Peter Spitzer, practising GP and Chairman and Medical Director of The Humour Foundation in Sydney
This recently published guide is not a technical/scientific book and it is not about giving fixed instructions. Rather, it is a collection of inspirational stories. It is about bringing humour into people's lives... In my opinion, every facility should have a copy of this book. It gives joy, inspiration and ideas for play. It affirms the valuable role and place for play in lifting everybody's spirit on a difficult journey. It sprinkles the path with smiles. Reading this book was a joy for me. I would recommend John's book to everyone involved in dementia care.
The Journal of Dementia Care
Killick's clear, concise invitation to play reminds us that improvisation is the very core of life. This multi-voiced work provides invaluable paths to walk together, through dementia.
Anne D. Basting, Executive Director and Associate Professor, Center on Age and Community, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
(...) humour, silliness and playfulness can be enjoyed by many people with dementia... Play is the key to opening doors to creativity, spontaneity, engagement and relationships... This recently published book is not a technical/scientific book and it is not about giving fixed instructions. Rather, it is a collection of inspirational stories... In my opinion, every facility should have a copy of this book. It gives joy, inspiration and ideas for play... Reading this book was a joy for me. I would recommend john's book to everyone involved in dementia care. This includes healthcare staff as well as management staff.
Australian Journal of Dementia Care
In many ways, play is the ideal vehicle for opening the many closed doors experienced when living with dementia. It provides all of us with permission to leave behind the rational, planned and cognitive, and embrace the creative, spontaneous and relational aspects of life. In Playfulness and Dementia, John Killick seeks to inspire 'a new generation of playful practitioners' by providing an overview of the nature of play and innovative approaches, complemented by accounts of playfulness in practice. I have no doubt that he will do so.
from the Foreword by Professor Murna Downs, Chair in Dementia Studies and Head of Bradford Dementia Group, University of Bradford
the first person accounts of people with dementia are interesting to read... This book will be of interest to anyone working alongside people with dementia.
Nursing Times; Professor June Andrews, Director, Dementia Services Development Centre, University of Stirling
Killick's challenge to us in Playfulness and Dementia is simple and powerful - what is wrong with having a good time when you are living with dementia? His many-faceted story is thoroughly convincing - that play, playfulness and laughter are integral to creativity in dementia, to people's well-being, and ultimately to their human right to experience joy.
John Zeisel, PhD, founder of the I'm Still Here Foundation and author of I'm Still Here: A New Philosophy of Alzheimer's Care
The book is brimming with reassurance and practical ideas from "playful practitioners" for family and professional carers, those they care for, and for volunteers in dementia projects.
Dementia Newsletter