Delivering sessions - how we do it?

Setting up creative sessions.
STAA receives written referrals from professionals working in health and social care and also from carers and people who refer themselves to STAA.

Aims are identified for each person taking part. Aims can be to provide opportunities for sensory stimulation, relaxation (through engagement in a creative activity), to develop self confidence, to encourage self expression and different ways of communication and to give an opportunity for the person to develop personal interests and hobbies.

STAA’s co-ordinator meets the person with their carer and/or referral agency representative.
A programme of activities is agreed. The content of the creative activities depends on the interests of the people we work with.

Delivering Creative Sessions
An artist is selected according to art form chosen by the person referred. They visit the person or group once a week, once a fortnight or monthly. Sessions can last anything between half and hour and two hours. Sessions are reviewed and evaluated by measuring the effects of sessions against the aims identified at the beginning.

The emphasis is on the flexibility of sessions. Their frequency and length of each depends on the needs of the group or individual. Some people have 10 sessions in 10 weeks; other may have twenty or more sessions over a longer time span dependent on need.

Partnership Working.
STAA is part of the network of secondary level services for older people with mental health needs in Sandwell and works closely with other professional agencies involved in the well being of older people. Other agencies refer people to our services. STAA works with Community Psychiatric Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists, nurses, social workers, care managers and other charities such as Age Concern and Alzheimers.

“STAA is an essential part of the overall network of support available”- comment form a community psychiatric nurse.

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