Care in care
Take Care is one of our oldest TIMs. Ever since our early years 25 years ago, we have had a close relationship with the care industry and with the topic of care in general. We have put on performances about dementia, about mourning, about parenting, about the death, about home care, ... We play very often in hospitals, in residential care centers, at study days about care. In our team there are several therapists and a nurse, and care is a big personal theme.
This performance focuses on care itself. Care relationships are special. Care deserves care. And in our society this is not sufficiently fulfilled. Those who give care come under extra pressure as a result, and become the next person to need care. The line between providing care and needing care is not always clear either.
In this performance, we will work with small and big stories from the audience, which we sprinkle at the beginning. We will use some carefully chosen questions to do so, appropriate to the event or audience.
We listen to what is said and felt and then begin to play. We weave the stories, casting a glimpse into the inner world of the characters. We offer recognition and acknowledgment and here and there a new perspective.
The performance aims to be a heart to those dealing with care, and an inspiration to anyone who values Care.
How do we accommodate individual care requests? In general, but also in the moment? What questions lie beneath other questions?
And do you also notice your own signals? Are you aware of your own emotions and opinions in difficult situations and give them space? Do you sufficiently nurture yourself as a caretaker?
And are YOU adequately supported? What about your working conditions, your team, your organization, the society around you? We all know that there are a lot of bottlenecks there in the healthcare sector, and of course we don't dance around that in this performance.
How do you become and stay resilient in the most vulnerable relationships and challenging context? How do you truly connect and stay connected, with the one who needs you, as well as with yourself?
We also draw inspiration in this performance from the principles from our own trainings "being authentic and resilient in relationship" and from the theory of presence. We also bridge with elements from our performance on stress.
In addition to the interpersonal aspects of care relationships, we also focus on society: what should we do to deal with the exploding demand for care. How much - little - care is there for care? How much care do we take care of each other before engaging professional care, or alongside it? What radical shifts are needed?
The performance is adapted to the specific context of the group for whom we play: family caregivers, professionals and the specific work environment (wzc, hospital, home care,...) students, the general public,...
"Yesterday I, along with my colleague Linh got to attend your wonderful Take Care performance.
In a unique and moving way, you brought to life the theme 'care for care'. With your talent for improvisation you managed not only to touch but also to inspire.
It was impressive to see how you responded to the stories from the audience and handled them with such sensitivity and respect. You created an openness that allowed caregivers and those involved to feel heard and understood. The way you alternated humor and emotion made the performance absolutely powerful.
You provided connection, energy, empathy and professionalism.“
– Tamara Vranckx, Imelda Hospital