Maggy lives in a home with six other people. She is a quiet and gentle woman who it is thought, cannot see or hear. Although this may be the case, Maggy seems to have an acute sense of a social atmosphere and often appears to show her anticipation of our interactions by raising her head, opening her eyes wide and tapping her hands in response to our arrival.
During a particular group session, my colleague placed a drum against Maggy’s chair so that she could feel the vibrations and rhythms as he tapped it. To make the interaction meaningful for her, he beat it in time to her leg movements, stopping, starting and changing the tempo to match hers.
Maggy raised her head and turned it towards him. Her eyes widened and her eyebrows lifted from time to time. From Maggy’s responses, it seemed apparent that she understood the cause and effect of her movements and that she was leading the interaction. She seemed focused and to appreciate their connected ‘conversation’.
The big actions, vibrations and sounds appeared to have a wonderfully positive impact on Maggy.
Despite the considered and affectionate support Maggy receives from her home staff, she has limited control over her life. As I watched this interaction unfolding, I thought how empowering it must be for her to affect and control a response. From across the room, I decided to join in with her rhythms, tapping the chairs of the people I was next to. In doing this, I hope that the rest of the group were able to connect the sensations and sounds they were experiencing with Maggy’s actions, thus supporting their relationship and understanding of each other.
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