Empowering Memories: Visual Storytelling Workshop Brings Creativity and Connection to Individuals Living with Dementia
TORONTO, June 18, 2024 /CNW/ - The Alzheimer Society of Toronto (AST), in partnership with First Capture Studios, offered a unique visual storytelling workshop for individuals living with dementia and their care partners as part of the Active Living Program.
Photography holds significant power for individuals living with dementia, offering various therapeutic, emotional, and cognitive benefits. By documenting their world through photography, individuals were able to share their life stories and connect with loved ones, fostering a sense of identity, community, and belonging. Each participant was provided with a digital camera from Sony of Canada for this hands-on workshop, with their photography reviewed each week to allow for coaching and feedback, promoting the development of their personal stories.
The Visual Storytelling Program has been a remarkable success, empowering each participant to narrate their unique life stories through the lens of photography. By giving individuals the tools and opportunity to capture their experiences, we gained profound insights into their worlds and realities. Every photograph became a powerful narrative, encapsulating entire journeys and revealing layers of personal history and emotion that might otherwise remain unspoken. This program not only celebrated individual creativity and expression but also fostered a deeper understanding and connection among participants, their families, and caregivers.
In addition to the photographs captured, behind-the-scenes footage was shot throughout the workshop, including in-class sessions, individuals in their own environments taking photographs, and powerful testimonials from the participants about their experiences. A curated selection of photographs from each participant will be on display at the Alzheimer Society head office for visitors to see.
About the Alzheimer Society of Toronto
The Alzheimer Society of Toronto provides free counselling and education to people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, their families, and caregivers. They deliver specialized training and professional development for frontline health-care providers, and engage in public education and awareness events to increase accessibility to dementia information.
Tyler Anderson
Founder + Instructor
Tyler Anderson is a photojournalist based in Toronto, Canada. He worked as a staff photographer at National Post from 2004-2017. He is the two-time Canadian Photojournalist of the Year. Since 2008 he has been a part-time instructor of photojournalism at Loyalist College, and faculty member in the Journalism Program at Centennial College and University of Toronto. He is also the founder of First Capture Studios, a multimedia production company and social enterprise.
Peter Power
Instructor + Cinematographer
Peter's diverse work in Canada and abroad has proven him to be among the top visual storytellers in the country. With photography, video and journalism skills honed from 25 years of editorial work at The Toronto Star and Globe and Mail, Peter understands what it takes to discover and showcase unique stories. Peter has provided workshop instruction to industry professionals and formal education to journalism students at Mohawk and Humber Colleges. His work has been recognized nationally and internationally. He has received Photographer of the Year honours five times, has won four Canadian National Newspaper Awards and has received the prestigious Governor General's Michener Award for Public Service Journalism.
Click for access to a selection of photos and vignettes from the event. https://we.tl/t-4uu2W0w776
Members of the media are invited to the unveiling of curated photographs and video testimonials at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto's Open House June 20th from 3:00 – 5:00 PM at 20 Eglinton Ave W, 16th Floor.
SOURCE Alzheimer Society of Toronto
Media contact: Cassandra Koenen, Director, Marketing and Communications, 647-346-4945, [email protected]
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