ESRC IAA BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Pontio "Songs from Afar"

Disgrifiad o Effaith

"Songs from Afar" was an evening event in Pontio’s studio theatre with a musical ‘chat show’ format. The event was chaired by well-known broadcaster Beti George, with 13 musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and invited guests, dementia researchers, carers and people with dementia.

The discussion sections of the show were linked and connected by a series of chamber works by composer Andrew Lewis, played live in the studio. Lewis interviewed people with dementia and the partners now caring for them at home, and these recorded experiences, reminiscences and frank accounts of daily life form the central thread of the music. Each piece blends excerpts from the interviews with live instrumental music, and each piece is both an artistic musical experience and a focal point for thinking and discussing a particular aspect of living with and caring for dementia.

The event developed themes from the ESRC-funded MIDAS and ACTIFCare projects, raising awareness of the day-to-day realities of living with dementia, and breaking the taboo surrounding dementia by giving voice to those living with it. It will highlight the role of a partner who is also a carer, and focus on the personal experiences of both parties, and the questions they raise: How does dementia affect everyday life and relationships? What are the discrepancies of perspective between the person with dementia and the carer? How do friends and family react? How does a lifetime of shared experience cope with loss of memory? What really makes a person who they are, especially in the light of personality change? Such questions find their true significance when explored through the experiences of real people. It is these stories that form the raw material for artistic expression, and can in turn help us all explore our own response to such questions.

Crynodeb Effaith ar gyfer y Cyhoedd

Living with dementia – a musical conversation

Journalist and broadcaster Beti George hosted an evening of innovative live music and conversation about life with dementia, with a special emphasis on family carers.

An ensemble of 13 musicians performed a series of short, thought-provoking pieces featuring the voices of people with dementia and the partners who care for them. Building on music and verbatim drama interventions undertaken by Pontio Arts in care homes, and on research led by Prof Bob Woods of Bangor University, composer Andrew Lewis created these unique musical portraits of life with dementia. The aim was to break the silence that often surrounds the topic, giving voice to the real-life, day-to-day experience of what is fast becoming the defining medical condition of our age.

Along with the music, Beti George was in conversation with a series of special guests, people with dementia, carers, researchers and some of those whose voices are heard in the pieces. With comments and questions from audience, this was an inspiring evening of music and conversation, exploring the highs and lows of living well with dementia.

Disgrifiad o'r ymchwil sylfaenol

The project builds on the completed ESRC funded study ‘A comprehensive profile of awareness in early-stage dementia (MIDAS)’ (2007-2010). Bob Woods was a co-investigator, with Professor Linda Clare (now at Exeter University) as PI. The study followed up a cohort of 100 people with early-stage dementia and their carers in North Wales over several years, examining factors influencing quality of life and the person’s awareness of their condition and its impact. The study has already resulted in more than 15 peer reviewed journal papers, and a number of dissemination sessions have been conducted based on the results, for practitioners and carers. Amongst the findings of the study were the importance of the quality of relationship between the person with dementia and his/her carer to the person’s quality of life (Woods et al., 2014), and the frequently discrepant views between person with dementia and carer regarding the person’s memory, day-to-day abilities and social skills. In this cohort, people with dementia showed variation in their degree of awareness of their difficulties and of their condition, depending on the social context and which aspect of their abilities was being considered. Awareness was not an ‘all or nothing’ construct, as sometimes is suggested through terms such as ‘denial, and related to a range of psychological, social and neuropsychological aspects of the person’s situation (Clare et al., 2012). This research calls for a more nuanced approach to understanding dementia, that recognises the importance of relationships, and the implicit efforts of the person living with dementia to make sense of, adjust to and cope with the changes being experienced.

The participants in the compositional work are all participants in the ESRC-funded ACTIFCare project. This is a European study aiming at best-practice development in finding timely access to formal care for people with dementia and their informal carers. Its objectives are to explore predisposing and enabling factors associated with the use of formal care; to explore the association between the use of formal care, needs and quality of life and to compare these across European countries; to understand the costs and consequences of formal care services utilisation in people with unmet needs; and to determine the major costs and quality of life drivers and their relationship with formal care services across European countries (Kerpershoek et al., 2016).

Buddiolwyr a cyrhaeddiad effaith ymchwil

• People with dementia, their relatives, friend and colleagues;
• Those caring for people with dementia;
• Those involved in providing professional support to carers for people with dementia;
• Policy makers in health, social care and wellbeing;
• Policy makers in the arts and cultural engagement for health and wellbeing;
• Classical music audiences in Gwynedd, Môn and surrounding areas;
• Radio 3 audiences in the UK and internationally

Locating and reaching end users and beneficiaries:

• Through existing contact with participants in the research and composition project;
• Through contacts made at previous events. (The ‘Songs from Afar’ event is the third in a series of broadly similar events, which has built up a network of contacts and interested parties.);
• Through professional contacts in dementia science, health and wellbeing, and public policy – Prof Woods and Hannah Jelley (Researcher);
• Through conventional publicity channels operated by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Pontio Arts (e.g. BBC NOW and Pontio websites, Pontio brochure mailout)

Nodiadau Cyffredinol

The non-academic partner was the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW). The orchestra has many years of experience of a variety of public engagement, education and community outreach projects aimed at using the power of classical music to change lives. Players from the orchestra formed the chamber group that performed the pieces, and their participation was essential in the realisation of the musical works.

BBC costs applied for in the budget were players fees (including rehearsals) conductor fee, a contribution towards management and administration of the project (for example, organising musicians, transport etc.), travel and subsistence for players, conductor and BBC support staff.

The orchestra contributed significant in-kind support and expertise, beyond those limited costs applied for in the budget (for example, salary costs of support staff travelling with the players).

Statws effaith	Potensial
Dyddiad effaith	1 Chwef 2018 → 31 Maw 2018
Categori effaith	Diwilliannol, Ansawdd Bywyd / Iechyd, Cymdeithasol
Lefel yr effaith	Ymrwymiad