TimeSlips
TimeSlips is an evidence-based non-pharmacological group-intervention to increase creative engagement in older adults living with dementia.
Instead of focusing on memories of the past, which can sometimes cause shame and embarrassment for those living with memory loss, TimeSlips starts with asking a Beautiful Question about the present that sparks creativity and imagination in the sounds, movements, images, and/or words allowing for meaningful connections to the now. This intervention allows us to embrace and learn more about those individuals living with dementia by giving them the freedom of creativity. By shifting away from the expectation of memory, those with memory loss can open themselves up to wonder, finding meaning and connections to the larger world.
An added benefit of TimeSlips is the intergenerational relationships created and fostered through each storytelling session. Without the requirement of shared knowledge of the past, TimeSlips bridges the gap between two (or more) generations by without constraints of the mind in the past and instead limitless creativity.
George Mason’s Department of Social Work has worked with various facilities in the Northern Virginia area to provide this TimeSlips intervention. Following our six-week sessions with facilities, facilitators create a legacy gift for participants to keep and encapsulate the time they spend together. See some examples of legacy gifts below:
Interested in getting your facility involved? Please email Dr. Emily Ihara at [insert preferred email address]
Interested in getting involved as an individual? Check out our TimeSlips Postcard Project