Pain Play Tool Kit

The New Hampshire Pain Initiative (NHPI), a board committee of the New Hampshire Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, has completed a wonderful community education project with Senior Moments, a senior acting troupe affiliated with The Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth, NH. NHPI collaborated with the Senior Moments Players to develop a series of skits entitled “I Haven’t Got Time for the Pain”. Performances began in October 2007 and were held throughout New Hampshire until November 2008. Over 900 people from 18 Senior Centers, 7 Assisted Living Facilities and 5 healthcare groups attended our play in all geographic locations of our state.

Senior Moments is an all-volunteer group of 18 active members dedicated to raising awareness, among seniors, of issues that may affect them. Past performances have addressed depression, suicide prevention and injury (falls) in the home. Senior Moments delivers its messages through original short skits performed at senior centers and other senior gathering places around the state. Since their founding in 2000, Senior Moments has written and performed six plays. They chose to partner with the NHPI to raise awareness about pain in the senior years, focusing on myths about pain and issues of access to treatment. The skits take approximately 45 minutes to perform and our Nurse Practitioner (Pain Management Specialist), Kelly Doherty, lead audience discussion and invited questions following the skits.

A Toolkit is provided for those who may want to create a similar project:

• Pain Play Sample Budget
• Sample Play Schedule and Summary of Performances
• Pain Play Poster
• Press Release
• Program
• "Make a Difference" insert to program
• NHPI Brochure
  
• Audience Evaluation

Skit scripts:

• Clip 1 - Introduction - no script
  
• Clip 2 - Clinic Visit 1
• Clip 3 - Living with Chronic Pain
  
• Clip 4 - Clinic Visit 2
• Clip 5 - Broken Finger
• Clip 6 - Bag of Tricks
• Clip 7 - Commercials

This project was made possible by grants from :

• Alliance of State Pain Initiatives
• The Endowment for Health
• New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
• Seacoast Repertory Theater
• NH Council for the Arts
• New Hampshire Comprehensive Cancer Collaboration

For more information please contact:

Janice McDermott, Executive Director
N. H. Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
jmcdermott@nhhpco.org