Professional Development

Each year artists and healthcare professionals working on the programme can avail of professional development workshops. The type and content of the sessions varies each year and responds directly with the ambition of the artists in their delivery of the programme. If the artist or participant has an idea outside of their skill set, we can build in the learning to help realise project ideas. Delivered by peers or invited specialists, the sessions vary widely and where possible, they are open to arts and health practitioners outside of the team.

Dementia Training & Communication Skills (part 1)

For all artists who are working in Care centres with older people and members of staff at Uillinn

Learning the basics in Dementia types and symptoms, why we need to know
Communication techniques – what is helpful and what is not helpful
Exploring the needs of our participants through role play

Exploring Working with Cognitive Difference (part 2)

For artists who have completed part 1, and are working in care centres and the community with older people and people with Dementia and cognitive differences

Approaching a session/session structure
Setting a safe environment
The environment – how I can impact the environment and create a safe space (to foster inclusion empowerment and agency)
Scenarios, finding other perspectives

CPD – Deepening the artists experiential learning (part 3)

For artists that have completed parts 1 and 2

Recap
Artists’ perspective – group work – discussing barriers and exploring new pathways
Investigating meaningful/true inclusion
Artists’ questions – using role play, etc.

About the facilitator

Sarah Cairns has been working with people with dementia for over 25 years as an Activities Director. She holds a masters in Dementia Studies, a diploma in Older People in Dance and Person-Centred Dementia Care and, since 2007, has worked nationally as a Dementia and Communication Educator and Training Consultant. For the past ten years she has sat on the steering committee of the Arts for Health Partnership Programme in West Cork, for which she also acts as dementia advisor and co-facilitator on Uillinn’s In the Picture programme which invites people living with dementia to experience art and culture within a gallery setting. Sarah is particularly interested in finding ways to support residents to achieve agency, empowerment, connection and belonging, through culture, meaning-making and creative activities.

Previous Training Workshops

Making Connections from a Distance

Online

This peer share session is intended to give us time to reflect as a team and explore new ways of working going forward in 2021. Three AfH artists who worked through the height of the restrictions will share how they found new pathways to establish a meaningful connection with residents on our programme. Exploring the practical methods they tried, the resources they leaned on such as staff on site and where their practice sits within this new way of working.

Liz Clark will reflect on her digital learning and creative growth throughout this challenging time
Sarah Ruttle will focus on making connections and her experiments in postal and multimedia approaches using striking aesthetic to draw attention
Tess Leak will share the journey of transforming an in person project to postal and making mass reach genuinely meaningful for many

Dancing with Dementia

For AfH artists, physios and care staff working with people with dementia – at Uillinn
This practical dance workshop, led by Ríonach Ní Néill, shared some of the techniques she uses in weekly dance sessions for people living with dementia. The focus is on mental & physical stimulation and activation, engaging outwards with each other, stimulating the imagination and memory, providing opportunities for group recollection and reminiscence, and also jokes and laughter. ‘We approach the sessions as an artistic practice, providing time, space and support for the participants to engage with their own physical aesthetic impulses.’

Ukulele on the Wards

For all AfH artists, partners, staff and healthcare professionals – at Uillinn
(absolute beginners only)

Arts for Health musicians Liz Clark and Colm Rooney gave an introduction to the ukulele, a light hearted step by step guide to playing one or two old favourites to entertain and engage the patients, families and staff on the ward.

Creating Books

For Arts for Health Artists – at Uillinn

Explore the art of “D.I.Y” bookbinding and creating that professional finish with AfH artists Tess Leak and Sarah Ruttle. This session follows on from their collaboration with designer and book-maker Orlagh O’Brien from Haiku Island Press and will share how they made a limited edition of books using just a small printer, basic tools and a photocopier.

Art and End of Life

Facilitated by Breffni McGuinness, Irish Hospice Foundation – at Uillinn
This challenging session helped to give the artists confidence in how to interact with people who are dying or at end of life. The group explored what to say and what to do? and how you might communicate with someone who is dying or at end of life, and importantly what role the Arts and the artist might play to support someone who is dying or at end of life. The outcome was really afirming to the practices that were already taking place.

Investigating Methodologies

with Gráinne Hope /musicandhealthireland at Uillinn

The training day was an opportunity for the Arts for Health team to come together and explore methodology and approaches for working in healthcare settings with older people

The session focused on:

Understanding the role of a healthcare musician and the appropriate placement of music in sensitive settings.
Exploring the skill set and best practice methods necessary to deliver quality interactions in Hospitals and Nursing Homes.
Programme content may include:
The approach and methods required for successful musical interactions in hospital and care home environments
Vocal and instrumental repertoire and improvisation
Challenges of working in a team within a clinical space