People living with dementia and professional actors are performing together as part of a unique project aimed at unlocking hidden skills and memories.

Finding Our Voice – run by University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and theatre group At Home At The Theatre – has seen residents at Torrance Lodge Care Home in Kilmarnock participate in interactive shows, based around their interests.

The project looks to use performance and theatre as a tool to improve the lives of people living with dementia, by improving their confidence and helping lift anxiety.

Each session is different, and has seen attendees perform everything from physical comedy to show tunes.

ABOVE: Sian Ross takes to the stage to work with residents at Torrance Lodge 

Dr James Layton, project lead for UWS and BA Performance programme leader, said: “Rather than being presented with a performance, which is often the case with visiting artists at care homes, we frame the project as being a series of workshops in which any of the residents can perform.

“This might be a song which has meaning from their past, or something that they simply enjoy performing. It’s important that we are performing with the residents, rather than performing to them”

A typical workshop begins with artists from At Home At The Theatre performing songs for the residents, before inviting them to take part. 

Dr Layton added: “We’re not concerned with creating the best performance – rather, it’s about the significance of participation. This might be singing along, clapping hands or even performing a solo to the group.”

Sian Ross, Creative Director for At Home At The Theatre, and a recent UWS graduate, added: “The response from residents has been tremendous. They arrive early, and they’re always really keen to get started. We’ve had residents tell us that the sessions have help them gain confidence, and we’ve also had family members comment on the positive changes they’ve seen in their relatives.

“Research has shown that music can have an emotional trigger on memory, and it stimulates a part of the brain that also triggers communication. However, Finding Our Voice goes beyond music, integrating performance in a more general sense and exploring the benefits it can bring.”

Elaine Richmond, Activities Organiser at Torrance Lodge, added: "The words of songs are coming back to the residents more and more in each workshop - they started off remembering only a few words of a tune but are now singing complete songs.

"It doesn't need to hold anyone back if their verbal skills are impaired; you always find a way to have them singing, and it makes such a difference to their confidence. You can see how proud they are that they are in achieving something.

"It doesn't only benefit the residents; families and staff benefit too, through catching a glimpse of the person who has been hidden for so long. That person comes out very clearly in the workshops."

This project has been made possible through funding from MEB Charitable Trust, WM Mann Foundation, JTH Charitable Trust, Sylvia Aitken Charitable Trust, The Barrack Charitable Trust and Kells Trust. 

You can watch a documentary about the project here. 

For more information about studying BA Performance at UWS, click here.  

For more information about At Home At The Theatre, click here.