Older people, dementia and neuro-dramatic-play: A personal and theoretical drama therapy perspective

Abstract

This conceptual article will consider Sue Jennings’ neuro-dramatic-play (NDP) as an overall theoretical framework for working with older people with dementia. NDP was developed over a number of years by pioneering UK drama therapist Sue Jennings. It is a culmination of attachment-based play, drama, movement and storytelling, and arts-based approaches that are used within drama therapy and other play and creative-based work with children. The author will consider from a personal and reflective perspective how NDP approaches can be adapted by drama therapists to work with older people with memory loss based on almost 30-years history of being involved in the field of drama therapy as a student and practioner, and his work with older people, at both the beginning of his career and his current reflections many years later.