Co-creating a graphic illness narrative with people with dementia

Abstract

This article reports on a project that aimed to pilot a collaborative, patient-led approach to comics creation by developing an artistic process that allows people living with dementia to communicate their experiences and express their opinions. People living with dementia are rarely given the opportunity of speaking for themselves in the media; someone else usually speaks on their behalf, for example family or carers. In the novel approach to comics creation reported here, people with early- to mid-stage dementia worked collaboratively with artists to tell their stories as a way to offer alternative perspectives, and help overcome the stigma associated with dementia.