FAQs
Training/Certification
Do I have to take the Online Training to use the Creativity Center?–
As part of our mission to make creative engagement available to all, our Creativity Center is free to use without training. We think the training will be enormously helpful - but it’s not required.
I’m a Certified Facilitator. What does that mean I can do?–
Certification assures you that you have successfully transitioned from training to practice, and enables you to facilitate storytelling circles and call them TimeSlips sessions. Certified Facilitators can “model” Time Slips for others, but they can not “certify” others. That is reserved for people trained as In-House Trainers and Master Trainers.
I can't hear the sound in the Online Training.–
Be sure your computer isn't on MUTE. Turn up the volume on the computer and in the module sound icon.
I just signed up for training - where/how do I access it?–
Once your payment is processed, our system will grant you access. Refresh the page and you should see "My Dashboard" at the top of the page.
Click on My Dashboard, and you should find a button for access to the Training Center.
I'm a Certified Facilitator - How do I change my profile on the map and network listing?–
Easy peasy. Log in and click on My Dashboard. Then click on your name and your profile will pop up. You can the ability to edit your own profile - in fact we rely on you to keep it all up to date!
I'm a Certified Facilitator - do I have to appear on the map?–
Nope. You can go into your profile (via My Dashboard) and undo the Display Profile button.
My care home wants to do I Won't Grow Up! How can we do that?–
When you take our Creative Community of Care training, you can pick which of our story projects you would like to do. We can guide you through the process to create Wendy's Neverland as part of the CCC training. Wendy's Neverland (and other story projects) are part of our Artist in Residence CCC training, which includes costs to support artists to collaborate on the process and celebration event. We are happy to help you with templates to support your grant writing. Medicaid Certified nursing homes can apply for CMP funding to support the CCC trainings. Other organizations have received ACL grants, or local foundation grants to support their training and projects.
Challenges
Can people with severe memory loss do this? I don’t think
my group/loved one is capable…–
my group/loved one is capable…–
Yes! TimeSlips works beautifully with people in the mid to late stages of memory loss. We have run many successful groups made up of people at all stages and abilities. One just needs to remind people that TimeSlips is about the imagination, and to reflect the joy at the base of the process. Learn more about working with family members. Learn more about organizational training.
Can Improvisational Storytelling be done with people with low vision?–
Yes! People with low vision are already envisioning the story in their minds. Once a story gets started (just a few basic answers) in a group setting, people with low vision commonly jump in and carry the story. You can also use high contrast or contour copies of an image to make it more visible.
Students
I’ve done the training as a Student - should I get “certified?”–
That’s up to you! Training simply means you completed the online training. Certification assures you that you have successfully transitioned from training to practice. Why Certify? Certification:
Families
I care for my husband at home. Can I do this one-on-one?–
Of course you can! In fact, we designed this site for you so you can have something meaningful and playful to do at home and also invite family members who might be far away to play with you (through the "collaborate" button). The main challenge will be to open yourself to word-play and let go of any desire to “clean up” language. TimeSlips is about experimenting and playing with expression. There are no wrong answers. Also try our Creativity Journal, specifically designed for one-on-one use. It's a beautifully designed keepsake with simple instructions for families, friends, homecare and hospice workers.
How can I get my loved one into a TimeSlips program?–
Check our our MAP to find TimeSlips near you. If there isn't one near you, try bringing info about the program to your current aging services provider (senior center, day center, early memory loss program, or long term care facility). This approach is inexpensive and easy to learn and can easily be incorporated into any program.
Organizations
How does my Organization get trained?–
Just click on Org Training in Services (or here). We offer fully online or in-person training.
The training elements include:
Creative engagement techniques
Creative community building techniques Engaging families, staff and volunteers Planning a celebration event Creative Asset Mapping Documentation and Evaluation
How do I become a Trainer? I want to train others in my company to do this.–
Have your organization become a Creative Community of Care. This includes training two staff members as In-House Trainers. This status enables your organization to train and certify staff at a dramatically reduced rate. Learn more about becoming a Creative Community of Care.
Impact
Is there evidence that this works?–
There is some nice, solid research out there now telling us that yes, this kind of creative engagement has significant impact on the lives of people with dementia. See our impact page for more details.
General
This is fun. Who was this designed for? And who can use it?–
It IS fun isn’t it? TimeSlips was originally designed for people with cognitive disabilities like dementia. Creative engagement is an ideal way for people with cognitive challenges to communicate. Our main audiences are families, care providers and elders experiencing isolation, whether from disabilities or social situations. But it’s fun for everyone and effective for community building of all kinds.
We already do improvisational storytelling in my facility.
How is TimeSlips' training different?–
How is TimeSlips' training different?–
We often hear people say “We’re already doing that...” but when we ask a few questions, we hear, “well, maybe not...” Here’s a handy checklist:
Can I see Improvisational Storytelling in action somewhere? –
Check out our map and see if there is a Creative Community of Care or Certified Facilitator near you who would be open to a demonstration. Or simply watch one of our videos to see TimeSlips in action. Our Online Training also has extensive videos of the process in action.
How can I learn more?–
Click here to learn more about our many services and products. Or contact us directly with your questions.
Where do you find these images!?–
With over 500 Certified Facilitators, we have lots of image hunters! We often find images that have the Creative Commons license and ask permission to use it for non-commercial purposes. But you can really use anything as a prompt. Try looking out the window, or holding a piece of fruit to prompt a story exchange. The images are fun and thought provoking, but the world is your prompt! In general, you can find images in greeting cards, calendars, online image banks (like the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the New York Public Library) and magazine ads. But be sure to have permission to use the image if you plan to sell it in book or calendar form.
Can I print the images in the Creativity Center?–
Yes! When you click on a prompt, you will open the Create page. There you will see "Print Image & Questions". Then simply print the worksheet. You can also right click the image once you're on the Create page and save the image to your computer, or drag and drop it to your desktop. Once it is saved to your computer you can open and print it by itself, without the starter questions.
Click here to watch a tutorial of how to download and print a TimeSlips image.
Can I read some of the 20,000 stories from across the world?–
Yes! Click on Creativity Center (under Resources) and scroll down to the Browse Stories section. There you'll see stories we've marked as favorites from around the world, and a search feature to help you find others.
Where does the name TimeSlips come from?–
From our Founder, Anne Basting:
"In 1998, I received a grant for a project called "The Interactive, Intergenerational Storytelling Project with People with Alzheimer's and Related Dementia." Well, as you might imagine, that was a bit of a mouthful. I needed a name that captured the essence of what we were doing - poetically, so that we inspired people to take a step into imagination. TimeSlips captured the non-linear quality of the stories. We were simultaneously in the past, the present and the future - imagining yet always drawing on the past. I called the first play that I wrote inspired by stories told by elders with dementia TimeSlips in 1998, and it has been the name ever since.
I also liked that it evoked the idea of a boat slip, as in TS Eliot's poem, Dry Salvages (part of the Four Quartets), which explores the power of time (larger than all of us) and the journey through life as being like a slowly leaking boat. But that's pretty esoteric!"
How do I use all of the great features in the Creativity Center?–
I am an artist - how can I get involved?–
The best training for artists in our Creative Care Institute - three inspiring days here in Milwaukee, learning alongside care professionals and other artists. But many artists also take our on-line or in-person training workshops to become certified facilitators. If you are already certified and are interested in working with us as an artist in residence, let us know. We are currently recruiting in Kentucky and Tennessee, with more to come!
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