Training Style/Approach
The day is a mixture of taught content, experiential and creative learning, delivered in a relaxed way.
Trainers
Liv McLennan
Liv has had a passion for working for people with dementia since her teens, when her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s-type dementia. After a music degree and time as an army musician, Liv worked for various charities, including the Alzheimer’s Society, developing projects mainly based around peer support and groupwork.
Liv then completed the renowned Certificate in Music Workshop Skills at Goldsmith’s College, and has been self-employed as a community musician, working with different groups. The main areas she specialises in are Early Years, Community Choirs and people with dementia. She works with various organisations, including Westminster Arts, Age Exchange and Alzheimer’s Society delivering music, movement, reminiscence and cross-arts projects. She is also a trainer in these areas and has run training sessions for community musicians and care workers in how to incorporate these techniques into their work.
Liv plays the cello, highland bagpipes and saxophone, and dabbles in ukulele and kantele! In her spare time, she enjoys Circle Dancing and learning Appalachian Clog Dancing. She is also on the board of trustees for Sound Sense, the Professional Association for Community Musicians.
Kelly Brown
Kelly is a trained dancer, obtaining her degree at Middlesex University in Dance Science. Since the age of 16 Kelly always knew that she wanted to enhance the health and well-being of older people through dance movement. Alongside her degree she volunteered for over 4 years for the
South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust with a leading Dance Psychotherapists in dementia care. Kelly now is the leading dance development officer for Kirklees council developing and delivering a range of dance based training courses to professionals and volunteers working within older peoples’ organisations and settings, including dementia care. Kelly is also responsible for initiatives that include chair based activity, Ballroom & Latin dancing, Circle Dancing, Creative Dance and many more activity based provision, in a range of settings from the community to residential care and hospitals. Kelly is passionate about using dance as a vehicle to enhance the journey of those who are living with dementia and their carers.
To commission Circle Dance in Dementia training for your service or for more information about open training days, please contact info@dementiapathfinders.org or phone 0845 257 2250.
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