Dementia and Photography: Photobombs and Communicating through Creativity.
Dementia Action Week 2025
Hello, dear readers. For new members of our community, I’m Victoria. You can read why I’m publishing Carer Mentor here: Who Started Carer Mentor and Why?
Carer Mentor aims to offer heartfelt empathy to caregivers and those they care for. A hub of practical tools, resources, and insights. A community support network—Human-ing hard. A portal of hope. ❤️
Today is the last day of Dementia Action Week Campaign (19-25 May), led by the Alzheimer’s Society (UK).
The Carer Mentor: Empathy and Inspiration’s contribution to this campaign has been a series of articles exploring how to engage, encourage, and empower loved ones with Dementia.
I discovered the work of many people who are leveraging their skills and knowledge, not just to connect with Dementia sufferers, but to engage, entertain and create something meaningful together—focusing on the person, not the Dementia.
The Dementia Action Week articles.
The first article included a checklist of Dementia symptoms and some resources to support conversations with a loved one or friend.
"Empowering People Living With Dementia." The Brain Charity.
‘Mindfully Using Music with Dementia, and 'A Playlist for Life.'
Today’s offering showcases the creative power of photography and filmmaking:
A TED talk by Tony Luciani sharing how he and his mother, Elia created an exhibition about their journey with Dementia. Who’s sparking who here? The Photobomb is a beautiful lightbulb moment—pun intended.
Creativity and Dementia Intertwined: Filmmaker Michelle Memran discusses the making of her 2018 documentary film "The Rest I Make Up," which follows the groundbreaking playwright, director, and teacher María Irene Fornés through her journey with dementia. A beautiful reciprocity emerged.
A mother and son's photographic journey through dementia (Feb 2019)
Artist Tony Luciani was testing out a new camera when his 91-year-old mother, Elia, snuck into the background of his photos. The spontaneous images that resulted sparked a years-long collaboration, with Luciani documenting his mom's life and spirit as she lived with dementia. In this touching talk, he shares the stories behind some of their favorite shots, capturing the joy and grief of caring for an aging parent. - TED
You can see the photographs on his website
Tony Luciani’s artistic photography gave his mother, Elia a means to express herself. She’s engaged in both the creation and conceptualisation. We can see their mischief-making in some of the photos.
They managed to collaborate and draw us into each photograph, to see beyond the obvious. Each composition has a profound meaning, and we wonder what Elia’s thinking as she models for each photo.
Creativity and Dementia Intertwined: The Story of María Irene Fornés "The Rest I Make Up.”
Can the acts of creativity offer greater reciprocity — A different kind of communication process, allowing the person with Dementia to lead for a change?
Filmmaker Michelle Memran discusses the making of her 2018 documentary film "The Rest I Make Up," which follows María Irene Fornés, the groundbreaking playwright, director and teacher, through her journey with dementia. "The Rest I Make Up" isn’t a traditional story about Alzheimer’s disease: “It’s not a film about dementia, it’s a film about how you live a creative life, no matter what.”
This Dementia Spring video features Michelle Memran discussing her documentary film about María Irene Fornés, a Cuban-American playwright who had dementia.
Timestamp 2min30 Maybe this is The thing. She's writing she's writing into the camera but she's not you know sitting down and writing herself it requires another person to be receiving.
And we use the camera in all sorts of different ways. We used it as a letter writing device. We use it as a device for memory to show her you know what had happened the day before. You know sometimes I'd give her the camera and I'd say, ‘you know tell me what you see.’
It didn't require her to sit down and try to do something that she could no longer do I met her where she was at. Talking was was easy for her so just like let's have a camera there and see what happens.
Michelle spent a decade working with Fornés, using a camera as a creative tool for communication and memory preservation.
They used location visits as memory triggers, helping Fornés recall stories about Cuba and her theatre career.
The relationship evolved from journalist-subject to a deep friendship, with Michelle becoming involved in Fornés' care until her death in 2018.
Timestamp 4min33 The creativity was the way in. The collaboration was the way in but the friendship and her love of me allowed me to be present for all that time. Like we always think of a caregiver as a caregiver we're giving so much, but the reciprocity in that process was… it was integral for me.
I mean people always say, ’oh my God you did so much!’ and I'll be like are you kidding me I mean I got a master class about what it means to be a creative person I wouldn't have been an artist had I not met Maria Irene Fourness.
[Read more or find links to watch the documentary film here: The Rest I Make Up. Screened in 2020.]
Every situation is unique - this is what I reminded myself watching this.
This situation between Michelle and Maria, filming together was a beautiful reciprocal collaboration.
From seeking out Maria to realising the camera could be their tool, the story is full of agency and empowerment..
As Michelle says at the start of this video - ‘The takeaway is not about a film about Dementia, the takeaway is about how do you live a creative life, no matter what.’
Can the acts of creativity offer greater reciprocity, or allow the person with Dementia to lead for a change? I think its unique to each person’s creativity and motivation.
Our context was very different..
I cannot imagine my father would have wanted to participate in any creative act. He had several health issues that took precedence over dementia—mobility/stability, cancer and heart issues stopped us doing many things.
Basic activities and care during the day were enormous feats given his lack of energy.
So perhaps there’s a little envy when I see these talks and acts of creativity —not so much in what was created, but in the collaboration, producing something together—the quality time and complicity.
And yet, Dad and I had our music moments. Being present, together and music.
I used to say that when he slipped into snores I could fully relax and allow myself to feel a little joy of being connected with him, as a daughter again, with our music.
In that moment, at peace, music was our bond made simple— no words required, just Be.
I wonder how dementia suffers could use music, photography and film making as creative tools with family members and friends to engage in something where the Dementia is not centre stage.
Perhaps, given everything we do as caregivers, we can make small actions rather than aiming too big like make a playlist together.
A last PRO tip: try typing in ‘Dementia Playlists’ in the Spotify Search window. Enjoy!
For you, the caregivers or if you are someone experiencing dementia, please know, you are not alone, there is a community support network right here, that cares.
There are useful links to support organisations in this article.
If you’re wondering about how to talk with someone with dementia I recommend reading
articles: Conversations with Someone Who Has Dementia. An exercise in patience and What Not to Say to Someone With Dementia. Avoid falling into these bad habits. (Give up your need to be right - is easier said than done, but I 100% agree with Kirbie on this point.)
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