Elderflowers Case Studies

In Conversation
On a recent visit to a continuing care ward for elderly people with dementia, Cookie and Honeybunch Elderflower provided activities for a group of eight ladies.  The theme was that the Elderflowers needed advice on how to be polite. Towards the end of the session, two ladies started a long and opinionated conversation with each other on the topic. According to the staff who were present, neither of these ladies usually engaged in verbal communication with other patients. While the exact meaning of their words eluded the Elderflowers, it was clear to them that the ladies were cheerfully debating different opinions. One of the ladies then approached Cookie to relate a funny anecdote to her, before returning to the group to keep chatting away. Staff commented that the Elderflowers session had triggered an unusually high level of social interaction in the two ladies.

Moving Forward with Music
The Elderflowers have been working regularly with a lady who has Alzheimer’s Disease over the last eighteen months.  The deterioration in her condition has been less marked than that of other members in the group, and the challenge is for the Elderflowers to find ways to keep developing their activities with her, to boost her self-confidence and to encourage her to stay connected to the group.  

Throughout her life, the lady has had an interest in the arts, particularly in the area of music. She has a good sense of rhythm, and is always tuneful when playing a harmonica or more recently when using a small electric piano, which she played using the black notes only.  She will also pick up a rhythm in the group with clapping, and sometimes conduct a little.  It is at these times when she is in most contact with the group.

She also enjoys colours and beautiful objects. But it is her rhythmic sensibility in particular that the Elderflowers plan to keep nurturing, for that is so strongly rooted in her nature.   As her state changes, it is likely to be the way in which the practitioners can keep her focused. She does respond well to one-to-one visits, and the Elderflowers plan to see how she might respond to more challenging requests i.e. if she ‘conducts’ the Elderflowers will dance. This must be done with a lot of encouragement as she can sometimes lose confidence.

 
Triumph
A gentleman, in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, appeared to be completely withdrawn. During one visit, a member of the Elderflowers team provided multi-sensory stimulation with colourful scarves at the foot of his chair, accompanied by music. For ten minutes there was no obvious response when suddenly - quick as a flash - the gentleman triumphantly grabbed a scarf and held it high above his head. He then engaged in a simple game. Staff noted that the increase in awareness lasted well beyond the duration of the session.