Dementia is a disease that affects many individuals and their families. Although most people have heard of dementia, their understanding of the disease and how to effectively interact with individuals suffering from the disease is often limited. Two Points of Reality draws upon choreographer Daniel Turbill_x0019_ s personal experiences working as a Registered Nurse in the acute care setting. Faced with issues such as staff shortages, time constraints, outdated facilities inappropriate for dementia patient care, and a lack of immediate family/carer support and education, it became increasingly apparent that individuals with dementia suffered further as a result. Time and understanding are two simple things that can be given to people who have dementia, however they are often the most difficult to come by. With education comes understanding. By understanding the disease and its progression the friends, families and carers of people with dementia can be better prepared to successfully interact with these amazing people. This leads to time. Giving a person with dementia time to express themselves, tell stories and share a wealth of knowledge leads to a greater sense of independence and self worth. The gift of these two simple things can only lead to a better quality of life for both the individual with dementia and their friends, families and carers. The vast range of emotions felt by people who are or have been affected by dementia was carefully investigated in the creating of this piece. Sadness, stress, anger, frustration, the sense of loss, love, acceptance and understanding are the pivotal points from which the choreography was derived. Reaching for such raw emotional boundaries the choreography portrays a reality that has touched many people in many ways. Two Points of Reality depicts today_x0019_ s reality while also presenting the reality experienced by an individual with dementia. The aim is to give audiences the chance to have a fly on the wall perspective of the world in which a person with dementia lives. In doing this Two Points of Reality hopes to provide its audiences with an understanding of why people with dementia act the way they do.
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