Re-Ignite the Mind with Improv & Play workshop for people with memory loss

Denentia-inclusive class
Photo courtesy Taproot Theatre

The Edmonds Center for the Arts, located at 410 4th Ave N in Edmonds, WA 98020, has a Dementia-Inclusive Series developed collaboratively with the feedback and support of senior services organizations, eldercare and memory care professionals, and arts groups in the Puget Sound region.

Participation in the arts has been shown to reduce depression and a sense of isolation for older adults with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Music, in particular, "lights up the brain" - stimulating neural activity, triggering emotional responses and enhancing memory capacity where drugs and other pharmaceutical treatments have not succeeded.

Individuals with memory loss often face barriers to access within the traditional framework of arts performances and programs. With the Dementia-Inclusive Series, we aim to reach those in our community who aren't currently able to participate in ECA programs. 

Ultimately, we hope to make ECA a space where people with memory loss feel welcome and valued; where their creative contributions are celebrated; and where quality time can be spent with their families and caregivers.

For more information about ECA's Dementia-Inclusive Series, contact Gillian Jones, Education and Outreach Manager, 425-275-9483. 

The workshop for the 2015/16 season

Oct. 20, 27, Nov. 3 and 10, 2015 - 10:30 am-12:00 pm

Location: ECA Stage

$10 per class, free admission for care partners (1 partner max.) Capacity: 20 participants 

This 4-session workshop uses improvisation and theatre games to tap into the creative abilities of individuals experiencing early stage memory loss (ESML) and their care partners. Improv participants engage fully in the present, making improvisation a perfect theatre class for students living with memory loss.

There is no memory requirement, just a delight of participating in an experience that releases the imagination while giving a sense of accomplishment, self-confidence and social enrichment. The class, taught by theatre professionals from Taproot Theatre, promises 90 minutes where participants find success as they learn new things, interact socially and live creatively in the moment.

To register for "Re-Ignite the Mind with Improvisation and Play," contact the ECA Box Office directly at 425-275-9595.