Roundabout have been working with older adults for over 25 years. We facilitate group and individual dramatherapy sessions in a number of care homes in different boroughs in London. We also offer individual sessions in people’s own homes.

Our dramatherapy sessions are held weekly on the same day and time each week, and the same room.

People are referred to the sessions for different reasons including:

• Feeling isolated or self-isolating
• Feeling depressed
• Having difficulty communicating and interacting
• Struggling with the transition from their own home to the care home
• Coming to terms with debilitating conditions
• Having difficulty dealing with loss

Often the people we work with are physically frail and/or have dementia.

How does Dramatherapy with older adults work?

Dramatherapy sessions with older people have a ritual structure, that helps to maintain boundaries and promotes a sense of security. We offer a welcome cuppa together as people arrive in the familiar setting, then there is a check-in, a warm-up with music, movement or a game, followed by a main event. Then a period of moving away from the main event into a time of reflection, grounding and goodbyes.

We use different creative media and techniques in the sessions including:

Art images, collage work, music and movement, poetry, traditional folk tales, story creating and telling, reminiscence, puppets, props and costume.

The dramatherapists plan the session around the themes and issues that are brought to the sessions by group members. Themes that often arise include loss, change and family relationships.

Sometimes strong emotions emerge, including sadness, anger and frustration. At other times feelings of enjoyment, fun and humour are present in the sessions.

You can find details of the support we offer when covid prevents face to face work here

Roundabout have developed a new area of our website, dedicated to working with older adults. The aim is to share knowledge and resources for other therapists working in this field, and it could also be of interest and use to those caring for older relatives at home or engaged with older people in other settings. For further information, click here