MAKING CONNECTIONS
This resource takes you through an activity where you use your imagination to create images of what ‘making connection’ looks and feels like for you. It is not specific to connecting with people with advanced dementia; it relates to ‘making connection’ with people in your everyday life.
“But I’m not creative/artistic/imaginative” – this exercise is for you – you don’t have to share what you create with anyone else. As long as you can draw squiggles and have a pen/pencil and paper to hand you can do this activity.
PURPOSE
When we think about connecting with people, be it face-to-face or online, we might tend to think about our verbal communication; the conversations we have. A significant number of people with advanced dementia tend not to be able to communicate using verbal language. This resource is hopes to spark your imagination by inviting you to pause and think about images and ideas for making connection, that go beyond connecting through words alone.
USING THIS RESOURCE
There are five steps to this experiment.
- Sparking your imagination with words
- Sparking your imagination with questions
- Sparking your imagaination with images
- Making Your Own Connections
- Take-Aways
Please work through each step in turn.
sparking your imagination with words
Read the text which shares some descriptions and ideas of what ‘connection’ can mean. Notice if any of the descriptions or ideas jump out at you and make a note if there is anything you would like to add to or change about these descriptions of connection.
Suggested time: 3 mins

sparking your imagination with QUESTIONS
Now read through the following questions and see if there’s any that stir your interest. You don’t have to answer these questions, they are there to spark your imagination. Make a note if there is anything that comes to mind for you after reading these questions.
Suggested time: 3 mins

sparking your imagination with IMAGES
These abstract images offer representations of what and how connections can look and feel. Have a look through and see if any of the images speak to you.
Jot down in your notes if anything about ‘making connection’ has come to mind for you while you’re looking at these images.
Suggested time: 3 mins

MAKING YOUR OWN CONNECTIONS
Think of three connections you’ve been part of recently:
(1) one you enjoyed
(2) one you avoided
(3) one which surprised you
Draw any type of image you like which conveys what each connection looks like.
Is there a word(s) you would use to describe each connection?
You may want to return to your notes for inspiration.
Suggested time: 10 mins

TAKE AWAYS
Think about what you are taking away from having done this activity.
After creating your images of recent connections, what are you taking away from doing this activity?
Has it left you with any new or different ideas or questions in relation to making connections?