A Standing Ovation for the Golden Generation!
A Standing Ovation for the Golden Generation! is a
soul-wrenching, heart-warming account of the lives of individuals
struggling with dementia and other age-related limitations. Kareen
King, MA, RDT, shares original songs, stories, and puppetry based on
her work as a drama therapist in a long-term care facility. She weaves
philosophical constructs developed by Naomi Feil, Martin Buber, and
Abraham Maslow into her presentation, providing a view of the inner
world of those who are often overlooked. She also applauds the role of
the caregiver, reminding us all that the golden opportunities are
often in the little things that are of great value. Participants go
away with a greater propensity toward compassion, charity, and
creativity.
Objectives:
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The learner
will be able to apply practical Golden Rule principles while
communicating with confused residents.
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The learner
will be able to discover how looking beyond the surface improves
quality of life.
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The learner
will be able to appreciate the value of creating peak experiences in
the long-term care setting and beyond.
Finding Emilou
Beyond the most unlikely landscape, there
lies an immeasurable treasure. Emilou, an 89-year-old woman who was a
Polio survivor and struggled with dementia for many years, was
considered by some to be the stereotypical nursing home shouter.
Through storytelling and original song, Kareen King, MA, RDT,
illustrates several important life lessons she has learned from
someone who might otherwise be deemed useless at first glance. The
Golden Rule takes on new meaning as a result of this personal account
of Kareen’s work and friendship with Emilou.
Objectives:
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The learner will be able to apply principles
of Validation while communicating with confused residents.
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The learner will be able to engage with
elders as human beings in an I-Thou relationship.
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The learner will be able to recognize and
address exceptions to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in the nursing home
setting.
Stinking Water Creek: Panning For
Gold in Life’s Journey
Everyone encounters a worst case scenario
at some point in their journey. It’s often a refining experience,
ultimately revealing what you, and the others involved, are made of.
Kareen King, MA, RDT, shares through storytelling and original songs,
about a disastrous winter road trip that poignantly and humorously
reveals a variety of customer service applications as well as
providing a new appreciation for the famous parable of the Good
Samaritan. Participants walk away with a greater empathy for some of
the unpleasant predicaments of the customer/client/resident as well as
some golden nuggets on quality customer service.
Objectives
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The learner will distinguish various levels
of dignity, respect, and compassion.
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The learners will discover ways to create
attitude shifts in stressful scenarios.
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The learners will learn how to create an
enriching customer service experience.
Gold Nuggets of Stress Relief:
Enriching Your Experience in the Workplace
Kareen King, MA, RDT, knows
first-hand how chaotic and overwhelming the life of an Activity
Professional can be. She shares how she made the shift from wanting to
quit, to wanting to create. Through journal accounts, testimonials,
story-telling, and song, she relays how she moved from being a martyr
to maverick. Laugh along with her as she shares how her racket-filled
job description almost stopped a potential coworker from joining
forces with her. In this session, Kareen helps others realize that
it’s possible to lighten up in the face of frustration and
disappointment.
Objectives
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The participant will be able to execute a plan to identify personal
stress-related triggers.
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The participant will be able to classify the emotional, physical, and
financial cost of stress.
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The participant will be able to create a repertoire of personal
revitalization remedies.
Enriching Communication Through
Music:
Golden Oldies and Beyond!
How is hope for working with
individuals afflicted with memory loss and confusion defined in the
context of music? Are specialized skills necessary to open doors of
connection with those who struggle with Alzheimers and other
age-related limitations? Kareen King, MA, RDT, shares what she has
learned in her experience as a drama therapist and musician in a
nursing home setting. Through story, song, and personal testimonial,
Kareen will reveal insights she has gleaned about connecting with this
unique population.
Objectives
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The learner will increase conversational skills through the use of
familiar songs.
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The learner will gain practical tools for eliciting therapeutic
movement to music.
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The learner will develop simple methods of crafting songs to empower
elders.
Therapeutic Play for Caregivers and
Clients:
Letting Down Your Golden Hair!
During a television interview
which featured a family who dealt with the nightmarish events that
unfolded around them during Hurricane Katrina, the adolescent grandson
commented, “We tried to play games to get our minds off of drowning.”
Capitalizing on the aforementioned metaphor, this workshop features
the intentional use of drama and/or theater exercises to achieve
therapeutic goals for caregivers. In short, an opportunity to
experience symptom relief and personal insight will be afforded in a
playful and creative environment.
Objectives
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The participant will discover creative forms of self expression.
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The participant will discern how play creates an opening for renewed
focus and energy.
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The participant will appreciate the cathartic value of play..
Go For the Gold!
Creating a Center Stage Experience for the Activities Program
“All the world’s a stage, and
all the men and women merely players,” (Shakespeare). In the nursing
home setting, why not let the “last scene of all,” be the grand
finale? Kareen King, MA, RDT offers practical ways to add dramatic
flair to conventional activities, drawing residents into a world that
nurtures their inner child. Ideas include effervescent exercise,
boundless bus rides, animated announcements, curiosity evoking
calendars, memorable music, and more!
Objectives
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The learner will be able to introduce
theatrical elements to conventional exercise activities to engage
the mind and body.
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The learner will be able to transform a
bus outing into a traveling theater of discovery.
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The learner will be able to create a
musical dining experience out of a classic poem.
UP, UP AND AWAY!
Creating a Ulyssean Culture in the Long-Term Care Environment
Is it ever too late to dream,
create, experience wonder, exhibit curiosity? Kareen King, MA, RDT,
reveals her unique approach in addressing these issues in a program
she developed during her work as a drama therapist in a skilled
nursing facility. Through testimonials, songs, stories, and drama
therapy techniques, she reveals positive results that occurred from
the Ulyssean laboratory she cultivated. In this session, various
Ulyssean elements will be explored and how they can effectively
benefit both elders and staff members as they embrace and implement
culture change.
Objectives
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The learner will acquire tools for being a
role model of the Ulyssean philosophy in the workplace.
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The learner will distinguish the
differences between the Ulyssean adult and the gerontophobe.
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The learner will discover methods of
enrolling coworkers in a Ulyssean culture.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
Emilou Makes a Splash!
(a 45 minute program for elementary school children)
Themes: Bullying Prevention,
Stigma, The Golden Rule, Respect for Elders
Description: Kareen King, MA, RDT tells
the endearing tale of Emilou, an 88-year-old woman who spent the last
17 years of her life in a nursing home. Audience members will discover
that they share some very common traits with this overlooked
individual who wanted nothing more in life than to be loved. Kareen
will involve the audience with theater exercises, group singing and
chanting; and will include puppetry as part of this soul-stirring,
gut-wrenching, heart-warming, and laughter-evoking presentation.
Kareen will share how her life was turned around when Emilou literally
made a splash, and in turn inspire audience participants to find
creative ways to make their own splash in life.
Objectives
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Participants will learn the value of
respecting others.
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Participants will be empowered to make
their own creative “splash” in life.
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Participants will learn some old classic
tunes, preserving important traditions that will continue to be
passed from one generation to the next.
Presentation Methods
“There is no such thing as an uninteresting
subject; there are only uninterested people.” -
English writer G.K. Chesterton
