Igniting transformative change in dementia care through research-based drama

Abstract

Purpose of the Study: Little research has examined the lasting impact of the arts. As part of a longitudinal research project, we set out to examine how personal images, understandings, and actions of family members (FMs) of persons with dementia and health care professionals (HCPs) change after the introduction of a research-based drama about the experiences of living with dementia called I'm Still Here. This article focuses on the shorter-(6 weeks) and longer-term (12 months) experiences of engaging with I'm Still Here and how those experiences triggered personal transformation. Design and Methods: Informed by phenomenology, this article presents findings from follow-up telephone interviews conducted 6 weeks and 12 months after FMs of persons with dementia and HCPs attended a live performance of I'm Still Here. Results: The phenomenological shifts refected in the longitudinal data suggest a process of engagement with research-based drama that involves four themes: bearing witness to suffering evokes compassion; expanding with new awareness and understanding; finding comfort, confidence, and courage to change; and envisioning and enacting new possibilities. Implications: Findings demonstrate the possibilities of the arts for knowledge mobilization in changing the culture of dementia care through a process of illuminating new and enduring realizations and transforming actions and practices.