Component Evaluation: Moyra Jones – Dementia Selfie

Timing: 15 Minutes
Mode: In-class; Online

An adaptation of an exercise that Moyra Jones used in her 1990s workshop, this learning activity helps participants situate themselves in the position of a person with dementia. Have students either draw a self-portrait with their non-dominant hand or take a photo of themselves with their cell phone.  Then ask students to tear a portion of their “selfie” portrait away (physically or using a photo editing tool) in the response to each the following “loss” prompts, all of which Jones identified as deficits experienced by people with cognitive challenges:

• Loss of significant friendship or romantic partnership
• Loss of memory
• Loss of home
• Loss of ability to communicate effectively
• Loss of decision-making
• Loss of privacy

Employ Moyra Jones’ exercise to as the basis for a class discussion (online or in class) or have students write a short reflection piece.  Jones’ useful questions for generating verbal or written reflections include:

• What kind of person are you going to be?

• How does that make you feel?

• What loss bothered you the most?

• How would you want family, friends and health care practitioners to care for you when you are that little piece of yourself?