A Letter from citizen artist Gill Ashington,
Bright Shadow
Following the recent exhibition Refocus: Out of the Shadows at The Beaney, Canterbury by citizen photographer Gill Ashington, which coincided with Dementia Action Week, the charity received a very moving letter from Gill Ashington about the changed perception of dementia.
There are 2 videos associated with the article, both can be viewed via the links.
On receiving a diagnosis, you feel useless. Things you can’t do any more or people stop you from doing. Everyday stuff becomes challenging. People’s attitudes towards you change. Like a second-class citizen. This doesn’t just affect the person
with the diagnosis either. It has a ripple effect to family and friends. Your social circle becomes smaller.
Expiry date approaching fast maybe. Life limiting? You’re left with time. And that burning question, ‘now what?’
I was told I could perhaps give out teas when the dementia cafes opened up again. I felt I was capable of more. Trying to access things, no joy, because I wasn’t old enough!
I didn’t fit anywhere.
Then came Bright Shadow. Everyone involved treated me as an individual, with value and respect.
I had tried to do a photography course locally run by someone else, but not old enough.
I was saying to Clare Thomas about my interests and this being one of them. Clare put me in touch with Jen Holland, a photographer within the Bright Shadow team. We had a discussion and started 1-1 face to face photography sessions. To build up my skills on taking better photos and using my tripod. More valuable to me than colouring in stuff with rubbish felt tips!
It got me out locally using my cameras, and mobile. I bought lenses. People of my age who are friends were keen to hear of the stuff I was doing. It certainly didn’t feel demoralising to discuss what I’d been involved in.
I attended Zest sessions when resumed face to face, with my support dog. As well as online. I was able to feedback my thoughts on sessions. Again, my opinions were important.
I took part in the Picture This photography and writing sessions in Canterbury. Great setting – felt ‘normal’ as in a student building. It catered for all abilities. Each person attending had one to one support by volunteers and students. Best couple of hours in my week. And worthwhile, age appropriate and like we all mattered.
Bright Shadow is essential for people like me. Learning and being seen and valued are so important. Enabling those with a diagnosis to live with quality and dignity. We can be allowed to be ourselves in a safe and creative, warm environment. Carers, friends, and family can rest assured that the person will be ok for that time. Taking that pressure from those ripples I mentioned earlier.
Taking that pressure from those ripples I mentioned earlier. Bright Shadow ticks all the boxes for being person centred. They have the potential to make huge differences to the quality of life of many people affected by dementia. Helping them keep going and live a full life.
And everyone’s potential can be reached with the support and backing. If you don’t believe it, just take a look at my exhibition at The Beaney in Canterbury. I may have dementia but look what I’ve achieved! All thanks to the Bright Shadow team.
They believed in me.
VIDEO LINKS
The videos can be accessed by clicking the links below:
Refocus: exhibition overview (2:53)
Refocus: Out of the Shadows (30:58)
Bright Shadow
Bright Shadow’s mission is to enable people living with dementia, and those affected by it, to live well and to thrive.
Established in 2009, we are experts in creative activities that are fun, meaningful, accessible and challenging. All that we do promotes wellbeing for people living with dementia.
Bright Shadow is passionate about a brighter quality of care, which is invigorating, mood boosting and enhances relationships.
What we do
We are experts in creative activities designed specifically for people with dementia to enable self-expression, social interaction and active participation.
We do this through delivering our trademark Zest Sessions for people living with dementia in care and in community settings. We also provide training to equip those delivering activities with people with dementia, as well as training to empower arts and culture venues to be dementia inclusive.
We are the creators of Bright Boxes activity resource kits. These enable anyone to enjoy doing creative activities with a person with dementia, whether in a group or one to one setting.
We believe in relationship centred care and are passionate about caring for those in caring roles, whether as a professional or family member.
We believe
- In celebrating the here and now
- That a person’s present and future matters as much as their past
- In activities that reduce stigma and restore dignity by being interest-based and appropriately challenging
- In facilitating everyone to take part in activities to the extent of their capacity
- In relationship-centred care and caring for carers as much as the person with dementia. Our primary way of doing this is through equipping people with skills, confidence and resources to deliver care that promotes the wellbeing of everyone in the caring relationship
- In a client-led and person-centred approach
- In consistent evaluation and research
Full details about Bright Shadow can be found on their website. About Us – Bright Shadow
Bright Shadow
Bright Shadow’s mission is to enable people living with dementia, and those affected by it, to live well and to thrive.
Established in 2009, we are experts in creative activities that are fun, meaningful, accessible and challenging. All that we do promotes wellbeing for people living with dementia.
Bright Shadow is passionate about a brighter quality of care, which is invigorating, mood boosting and enhances relationships.