In the second of her reflections on being an Elderflower, Sheila Macdougall aka Dippsy Elderflower shares her thoughts on the benefit of using the practice of therapeutic clowning with people living with dementia and tells us about a lovely visit with a gentleman.
The atrium was empty, save for the large murals on the walls and two chairs. My partner, Lily Elderflower, moved to one corner of the room and began to play her clarinet – “Strangers on the Shore.” As Dippsy Elderflower I was sitting across the room in a pink chair listening, enjoying and veritably breathing in the beautiful music. At some point I absolutely had to get up and dance! The two of us filled the space with music and dance taking pleasure in each other’s company and talents. At one point we were both aware that a gentleman had almost magically appeared in one of the corridor entrances. Bill (not his real name) was standing quietly in the doorway watching and listening. As Lily came to the end of her song she stopped. From across the space I curtsied slowly and graciously to Bill who, with twinkling eyes and a smile, gave a slight nod in return. A connection had been made!
Lily continued playing her clarinet changing tunes and rhythms and stopping at the end of each tune. I curtsied to Bill after each one and gradually moved closer to him. He smiled and nodded in acknowledgement. When I was quite close I offered Bill my hands for a dance, but he kept his hands clasped behind his back. With the beginning of Lily’s offering of “Loch Lomond” Bill began to move across the space gently stepping in time to the music. Moving beside him I mirrored his moves across the space with my hands clasped behind me. I started to sing the song softly as we glided together. Bill joined in with the singing. When we reached the other side of the space he continued dancing and singing as he carried on down another corridor on his own. He had almost floated into and through the space. Bill departed carrying the atmosphere of song and dance with him as he went. Lily and Dippsy smiled broadly at each other. We both felt enveloped in Bill’s enjoyment of our offerings.
I have been reflecting on what elements of clown made this such a beautiful, enjoyable and impactful visit, for both Bill and us Elderflowers. The answer I keep returning to is simple and basic – presence. Presence is at the heart of clowning and is the core to being a therapeutic clown. In my work with ladies and gentlemen with dementia presence allows me to enter any encounter, space or situation with an open heart and a heightened awareness, ready and eager for anything. There is nothing more pleasurable to me than feeling that tingling sensation throughout my being I get when I am fully present. It gives me the ability to stay with one thing for as long as necessary, to be still and quiet, or to switch quickly from one thing to another when called upon to do so. The latter may entail being taken from one emotion to another – Dippsy being taken through the full range of emotions, from being joyful to being highly incensed when Spud called her ‘elephant’ instead of ‘elegant!’
Being fully present means that I relish and enjoy every moment with my whole being. It also means that whoever is witnessing this enjoys this ride along with me – a true and honest ‘give and take’ lived in the moment. An added benefit is that a witness – a lady or gentleman – has the power to comment or to make suggestions that will help resolve the situation. In this instance the lady we were visiting made sure Spud apologised to Dippsy to the fullest on bended knee! We all enjoyed that moment.
Clowns are mirrors to the world, to what is happening around them. In the visit with Bill, Dippsy’s mirroring of his movements validates his state of being in a simple and honest fashion. In such moments the clown is empathetic to the person or the situation – a moment of true understanding. In dementia units we engage with ladies and gentlemen in a wide range of states of being. The principles of presence and mirroring give clowns the tools to reflect, validate and show empathy for the emotions and states of being of any individual at any given moment.
Clowns are extraordinary. I love preparing to be Dippsy – putting on that gorgeous skirt, all my accoutrements and my red nose. As Dippsy I can dance to my heart’s content, relish the genius of my partner’s amazing skills, and soak up the interactions with the ladies and gentlemen I would never have had the privilege of meeting were I not a therapeutic clown. Every individual is unique; every visit is special. I treasure every moment and never, ever tire of this work.
Sheila Macdougall (aka Dippsy Elderflower)
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Find out more about Dementia Awareness Week 2023 (29 May – 4 June)
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