Using poetry to improve the quality of life and care for people with dementia: A qualitative analysis of the Try to Remember programme

Aims: This study explores the impact of a poetry intervention at one care home and one day centre in England. It seeks to bolster the growing body of literature assessing the extent to which the arts and reminiscence can improve the quality of life and care for people with dementia (PWD). Method: Six care staff were interviewed about their experiences of the project. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings: Six themes were elicited: exploring and preserving memories, communicating with service users, humanizing dementia sufferers, co-authorship of poems, continuity and the broader care context. These tell of an intervention which was valued by staff as having a positive impact on clients and their families. Conclusions: The research suggests that reminiscence-based poetry activities can improve the quality of life and care for PWD, helping to restore their “personhood” in the eyes of those who care for them.