A course from Healthy Arts, funded by Dementia United's Big Brain Health Fund.

Cath Hawkins is a movement and visual artist, as well as an accredited Breathworks and Mindfulness teacher.  Her Creative Mindfulness for Dementia course is based on the renowned Breathworks Mindfulness for Stress course, as well as her own experience of caring for her dad who had Alzheimers Disease.   Open to both people living with dementia, and their carers, participants learn skills to calm worry and anxiety and enjoy creative activities.

Feedback has been extremely positive:

“It’s a release for me because I’m a full-time carer 24/7 and it gives you time to think about how you can make it better for yourself”.

“He enjoys the sessions so much.  I enjoy the relaxation…when you’re going through a difficult time, that really helps.”

Cath said: “It’s been transformational…seeing participants who are leading really stressful lives living with dementia…seeing that people are feeling the benefit and thinking differently about how they could sail through their everyday lives.”

The impact of creative mindfulness on health and wellbeing inspired these poems by writer Chris Harter:

Drawing Breath

Exhaustion funnels down a road narrowing,

Handful of blemishes, nagging, worrying.

Stuck in monotony, merely surviving.

Turn it around. See our spirals flourishing.

Sun shining, sky vibrating with birds flying.

Narrow road widening, its banks blossoming.

Draw breath of friendship growing, kindness flowing.

 

How I See You

Breathing in the moment with courage and daring.

Loving in the moment with laughter and sharing.

Living in the moment with kindness and caring.

Healthy Arts Power of Good Wellbeing Activities project continues to be funded by an Awards for All grant from the National Lottery Community Fund.  For more information on future courses or an informal chat about creative mindfulness for dementia, see catherine-hawkins.co.uk or contact Cath Hawkins on 07984 123445 or email cathhawkins@yahoo.co.uk