I Remember It Well: Poetry writing for seniors
Author: Carol A. Adams
Published by: General Store Publishing House ($19.95)
This groundbreaking how-to book on poetry workshops created by Carol Adams, a Toronto author and poet, targets the ever-growing need for the healing of the spirit within the senior population, many of whom are depressed and lonely. She offers helpful suggestions to group facilitators in long-term care and retirement homes on the use of poetry. I Remember It Well is based on the premise that seniors’ reflections on their life experience can, with the help of facilitators, be converted to poetry or prose.
The first requirement is a good facilitator: someone with passion, and communication and motivation skills — and dedication. But they need not be a poet or writer because this book is so exceptionally well organized around clearly stated, monthly lesson plans, while leaving room for the facilitator’s own creativity. This tool worked for Adams, and dozens of her elderly participants, over the course of a year.
Through encouragement and the sharing of sensitive memories as they commit their thoughts and feelings to paper individually and collaboratively, the reborn writers develop a deeper insight and understanding of themselves. A new sense of life, our relationship to nature and our connectedness emerges. Adams successfully accomplished her goals: less depression, greater self-esteem, increased mental acuity and a better awareness of community. This book is a healer.
About Barbara McVean
