Artist Laura Aldridge has been working on stroke and medicine of the elderly wards with Carey Moss and Kim McGovern, the only two activity coordinators at the Royal Infirmary. Patient profiles on the wards varies, but many of the patients we work with have memory loss, communication and language difficulties, impaired reasoning abilities as well as changes in visual perception. In addition on the stroke wards we work with individuals of all ages who are dealing with the emotional stress of having had a stroke.

At the beginning of a new workshop block we usually start with an activity that allows us to assess levels of dexterity, attention span, spacial awareness etc. This helps us to work out how to make the workshops relevant to all who take part. For this series of workshops Laura decided to begin with a block – printing workshop.

Each participant created their own printing blocks by cutting out foam shapes and sticking them onto wooden blocks. The blocks were then inked up with a particular colour and pressed onto paper.  People worked with four or more colours, building patterns and shapes. Some people created abstract repeat patterns, others made pictorial works.  One lady, who was leaving the ward to go home that day, made a work that ended up telling the story of her and her husband, where they live and about their love for each other. The artwork was tightly grasped in her hand as she left the workshop as she wanted to bring it home to show to her husband.

Other news from the Royal Infirmary:

• case study: singing through change - Using interactive performance to gain a better understanding of patients’ needs and staff practice at Liberton Hospital in order to address immediate issues of low motivation, social isolation and boredom; ensuring relevance and greater impact of longer-term approaches. We had been approached to provide input to Liberton in early 2018 as a date for a […]
• Muscle Memory Makes Magnificent Motifs - It is always brilliant working with the energetic activity coordinators Kim and Carey at the integrated Stroke Unit and Medicine of the Elderly wards at the Royal Infirmary. It is a mutual learning experience and it strengthens the impact of our work. Working collaboratively, we have made impactful arts and music happen and are excited […]
• Weaving at the Royal Infirmary - From October to December 2018 artists Claire Barclay and Laura Spring worked with Carey Moss and Kim McGovern at the Royal Infirmary. Carey and Kim are the only two activity coordinators at the hospital and cover wards 101, 104, 201, 202 and 203; some are stroke wards and some are medicine of the elderly wards. […]
• Reading Friends - Over the last months we have been working in partnership with The Scottish Book Trust and The Reading Agency to bring Reading Friends to care for the elderly wards. Reading Friends is a UK wide scheme that uses books and reading as a way of fostering friendship and creating meaningful moments that have long term […]
• The Value of Meaningful Activities | Arts Programme Jan – Mar 2019 - We work with professional artists who are flexible and responsive in their approach and sensitive to the situations patients are in. It is this empathy that starts and sustains conversations and opens up possibilities and potentials. We have witnessed how activity can change behaviours and seen how the process of working alongside someone can change distressed and confused behaviour into engaged and concentrated behaviour that would have seemed impossible at the beginning of the workshop.
• Working Together – Hospital Activities Programme Sep | Dec 2018 - The new activities programme it out!
• Talking, Listening & learning – Hospital Activities Programme Jul – Sep 2018 - Activities for July to September 2018 – enjoy!
• It’s Something You Said – Hospital Activities Programme Apr | Jun 2018 - The programme is a direct response to your recent feedback on our winter activities programme. In response to the needs of people on long stay elderly care wards, we will be extending our events programme and creating weekly performance events. We are also investigating new work which better supports patients as they move from the hospital to the community, so look out for Anne Elliot's new activities which are all about encouraging greater community involvement.
• Open Show 2018: Call for Submissions - It’s nearly time for the annual staff and patient exhibition! This year it will be taking place in the gallery at the Western General Hospital from 1st March – April 2018. The exhibition so far has been developed by illustrator Laura Cave Macgowan, in collaboration with staff and patients who responded to an earlier call for […]
• Ward Activities at the Royal Infirmary - Art, storytelling, music, singing  – a rich variety of entertainment and doing for the wards!  
• Exchanging Knowledge - Activities programme for January through to March 2018.
• 2018 Open Show Call for Ideas - Laura Cave-Magowan is developing a new approach to the Staff and Patient Open show.
• Common Play: Making Things Happen - As a society we no longer create social spaces naturally. Within mental health the increasing reality is isolation and the lack of opportunity for people to find meaningful and engaging ways to belong to their immediate communities. Over the past years Artlink projects at the Glasshouses in the grounds of the Royal Edinburgh hospital, Leylines […]
• Hooptacular! - Hooptacular is not to be missed! Join Hula-hoop artist Ross McLelland for a jaw dropping display!
• Moving Forward Looking Back - The new July to September programme is out! Read it here:

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