“Within a socio-assistance residence for the elderly in Perugia, an experimental group was created consisting of eight residents, mainly female, with whom I started a creative storytelling process supported by the projection of some videos chosen on the basis of the interests of the residents themselves, who were housed in the facility. Before and after the activity, baseline blood pressure values were collected.
The residents who participated in the cognitive stimulation workshop with the Alamar videos all had a medium degree of cognitive decline, where the verbal aspect was still not completely impaired. The atmosphere that was created was serene and relaxed. By respecting the residents’ exposure time, I was able to lead the group in the creation of the story”.
Cristina Falomi, dementia social educator.
The recordings of the basal blood pressure values, made after the vision and narration activity, revealed an objective drop of 20 mmHg, both in the cases treated with antihypertensives and in the cases not treated pharmacologically.
With regard to the objective assessment of the change in facial expression and posture, I noted a positive change from a state of psychomotor agitation and a gloomy angry depressed expression, to a state of physical relaxation (open shoulders, upright posture), an aligned head that allows a well oriented gaze in space, an improvement in mood tone from a state of apathy and verbal closure, to a state of dynamism and participatory behaviour.
Session 16/05/2017 – Countryside Environment.
The little birds have seen that it’s fine weather and are going around gathering straws to make hatchlings where they will lay their eggs and give birth to baby birds.
Walking amidst the wonders of nature, you feel like a bird too, something that transports you inside; …. now we are in the woods, you can hear a stream flowing and I feel like I was born at this moment.
Taking a good look at the trees, I realise that the little birds will have to find thicker branches to set their broods otherwise there is a risk of them falling.
As we walk, we arrive at a pond in the middle of the greenery. Here’s a duckling, it’s small and wary, waiting for a fish to bite it. Valentina almost goes for a swim, she gets close to the water, puts on her swimming costume and feels the water is warm, so she dives in. But the little duck is still there, spinning around and every now and then she dives under the water, the water turns and she stands in the middle.
After the whole group has regrouped, we arrive at a meadow where there is a majestic cherry tree, or perhaps an almond tree, in the middle; it is lunchtime, we open our basket where inside, in the morning, we had put tagliolini with goose sauce, rice supplì (rice balls), roast rabbit with potatoes.
We spread out our tablecloth in the shade of the tree and sit in a circle, eating lunch with the chirping of birds in the background.
After lunch we sing some songs: Non ti scordar di me, Piemontesina bella and Vola colomba. Then with joy in our hearts we rest lying down in the shade.
It is now evening, we are on our way back and with the sun setting in front of us, we cross a wheat field in silence and head home with our hearts full of happiness.”
MEETING OF CARE PROFESSIONS, Piacenza 24 May 2018
Cristina Falomi talks about her three-year experience in conducting Creative Storytelling sessions with Experience Nature videos.
