TAP Overview
- Question cards and various creative prompts or activities provided by TAP as cognitive stimuli- all designed to connect to life experiences, emotions, and senses through creativity
- TAP provided materials include short poems with strong imagery observed to encourage participation, thought inducing images, corresponding discussion questions (no “wrong” or “best” answers- beginning with simple to more explorative questions)
- Poems familiar from childhood will also be used to possibly stimulate patients' available memory
- Prompts organized in themed booklets, handouts, or journals specially designed for patients unlike conventional books: engaging content, simple sentences that are easy to read (large font), vivid images for curiosity and imagination, short and easily manipulated with pleasing visuals
- Responses to prompts can be written (even drawn), audio recorded, or typed to be sent and gathered into poetry collections or other appropriate forms by TAP
- For creating poetry from inspiring prompts: write freely with few restrictions on poetic form- record thoughts and repeat key words to sense rhythm
- Collections can be shared with family and friends, which is shown to have positive effects on personhood
- Culminating exhibits, displays, and/or audio segments organized by TAP to showcase patients’ creativity and connect with community while also benefiting patient personhood and inclusion
Anticipations and Future Plans
- Potential COVID-19 protocols accounted for- questions and other stimuli can be given to caretakers/those already in physical contact with patients, and communication plan with TAP discussed
- Virtual options include recordings of poetry pieces read aloud to be sent with other TAP materials
- If in-person options are feasible, poems can be read to patients in a call and response manner, a technique which is shown to integrate different regions of the brain
- In-person options also pose the possibility of other poetry reading techniques (for example: inclusion of gentle physical activity tailored to each patient) or group activities and poetry compositions
- Future efforts towards funding or collaboration with existing organizations (including Alzheimer’s Association chapters, local medical centers, research centers, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, etc.) to expand outreach
- Partnership with schools or community for volunteers to help patients feel more connected (pen-pal program, virtual video-chats, etc.)
- Guide or manual distribution to help bring TAP to care centers, individual families, etc.
- Corresponding music playlists or more artistic accompaniments for themed booklets,
- Possible further research on the relationship between Alzheimer’s and creative expressions, specifically poetry
TAP Information Sheet
the_apollo_project.docx |