New London Barn Playhouse Expands Improv for Caregivers Program

Eagle Times Staff
NEW LONDON, N.H. — The New London Barn Playhouse, with help from a Arts in Health grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, is expanding its Improv for Caregivers program.

Improv for Caregivers, a communication workshop series for those who care for loved ones with dementia and Alzheimer’s, began as a request from a Barn Playhouse patron who saw a need for caregiver connections and strategies in the community.

After a pilot program last spring in partnership with Lake Sunapee Region VNA and Hospice, the Barn Playhouse will offer a series of eight monthly Improv for Caregivers workshops starting this October.

The new program will incorporate guest speakers who specialize in different areas of caregiving, social events for caregiver networking and support, and workshops in Newport and Claremont.

Each improv workshop session combines insight from healthcare professionals with improvisational theatre techniques, with a goal of developing new communication skills, strategies to cope with stress, flexibility in relationships, and an understanding of loved ones’ changing perspectives.

With guidance from the VNA and caregivers in the community, the team of actors prepare short scenarios that portray situations caregivers commonly face, such as preparing for appointments, sundowning, taking away car keys, and hallucinations.

Each scenario is followed by a discussion, where caregivers in the audience can share their own related experiences, successes and challenges.

Workshops typically end with a conversation about caregiver self-care and an opportunity for participants to ask the healthcare professionals questions.

The new Improv for Caregivers series will include the same improv workshop model with new scenarios, as well as guest speakers and social events. A full schedule with dates and times will be announced in mid-September.

Thanks to the grant, all of the upcoming Improv for Caregivers programs will be free of charge. Space is limited, though, so participants will still be asked to RSVP on the Barn Playhouse website at https://www.nlbarn.org/.