Good Company
Good Company is a unique form of creative dementia care, supporting vulnerable people living with dementia alongside their family carers in Brentwood, Essex.
What we wanted to achieve
This long-term partnership between artistic organisations and key, local support services, offers an innovative solution to closing the health inequality gap for those in the community living with dementia. It aims to give them greater agency, interaction and engagement with their carers, families, local communities and services.
What we did
Participants are referred to the project by the Alzheimer’s Society as part of their support for vulnerable people in this area of Essex. In eight-week blocks of sessions, participants attend a weekly creative group at Brentwood Theatre.
They are immersed in a range of stimulating arts activities, from reminiscence arts to dance, songs, orchestral music and co-creation, whilst exploring wellbeing, identities and relationships between family carers and those they care for.
Good Company is contributing to Brentwood Theatre becoming a creative hub for people with dementia and their carers in this area. The sessions are led by experienced artists from Age Exchange, Green Candle Dance and Sinfonia Viva. Two locally-based assistant music leaders joined the artistic team to develop their skills in this area of collaborative arts work, to help sustain the activity in Brentwood when the current programme finishes. Their development during the project has seen them take over full leadership of the Good Company music dimension in autumn 2024.
The project is designed to be a prevention and early intervention programme to prolong independent living. The sessions blend social contact and interaction in a safe space, as well as offering pastoral care and support for the mental wellbeing of all participants, including carers. This is coupled with a vibrant mix of creative arts activity to support cognitive reablement, confidence and positivity, self-expression, self-identity, and connectivity to others. Physical health is also supported with participation in dance helping to prevent falls, increase fitness and aid recovery to prevent hospital readmission within an informal care setting.
At the end of each periodic block, the Good Company celebrates their work in an informal sharing day at the Theatre.
“A Journey to the unknown
Dementia is so unknown
It’s lonely but there’s help around
With friends and with family and carers too
The Alzheimer's Society is there for you
Now this Good Company is something new
It’s so important to be with you
To be with you.”
Lyrics to a co-curated song written by D, a carer.
Outcomes
- Feedback from participants shows Good Company has built confidence, self-belief, and independence.
- Participation in the project has led to improved relationships between those living with dementia and their carers, bringing joyful experiences to them.
- ‘Mood-check’ charts demonstrated that sessions had a significant and positive impact on how participants were feeling at the end of the day compared to the start.
- The artistic team involved, particularly the assistant music leaders, developed and enhanced their practice and empathetic approach to building connections with people through their art form.
- Watch our online presentation to learn more about the project and hear from participants.
I have really appreciated Good Company. I hadn’t wanted to come, and cried all day the first time, but I have come to really enjoy it
~ Participant living with dementia
We did enjoy the meeting and I was amazed at Alan. He actually sang "Abie my boy" and got a round of applause. I didn't know he knew the words, it was a song his father always sang, I think he surprised himself. If you knew Alan, singing a song to strangers was the last thing he would ever do, I was so pleased. He must have felt comfortable and the staff were so kind.
~ Margaret (partner of Alan who lives with dementia)
Thank you for that, I feel very emotional now. I’m struggling to keep it together! We’re quite far along the [dementia] journey now.
~ Carer
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The project has been evaluated by the University of Essex and Orchestras Live, and the learning is informing the evolution of the work throughout 2024.
Good Company is produced by Orchestras Live in partnership with Sinfonia Viva, Age Exchange, Green Candle Dance, Brentwood Theatre, Brentwood Borough Council, Essex County Council and the Alzheimer’s Society with funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
