Its now recognised that to be a full person, and to find access to our deeper selves, the arts plays an important role.
Often stories which we have locked away, can surface when we have the stimulus of self-expression. Finding just the right story, or colour, or medium enables the person to flourish, even if they have been locked down or seem inaccessible due to illness or lost ability.
Rosie loves to use expressive art, writing, poetry, song and dance as working tools. She introduced many arts into her part of the Living Voices Project when working with older people,for example, clay and bread dough sculpture, corn dolly weaving, painting, as well as story, song and poetry making:
http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/learn/carers
Other arts project inspiration: http://www.artheals.org/inspiration/community_projects.html