The signs of wellbeing that I observed reinforced my belief in the value of reminiscence for people with dementia and family members .”
The signs of wellbeing that I observed reinforced my belief in the value of reminiscence for people with dementia and family members .”
the session . This was beneficial as it took some time for everyone to arrive and was an informal way of engaging with residents and family members .
The debrief meeting at the end of the session provided opportunity to review the structure , content and delivery of the session and , most importantly , to report back on how the residents had engaged including plans or adaptation for the next delivery .
The success of the programme was influenced not only by the attention to planning and organisation but also the ability to observe and adapt throughout the session .
The debrief time created some challenges because staff escorting residents back after the session and volunteers could not all stay to report back or hear from others . When the sessions moved up to the group residence , confidentiality was maintained by having the briefing and debrief session in another location .
Note-taking and tools
The Remembering Yesterday , Caring Today book ( Schweizer and Bruce 2008 ) includes a range of templates for facilitators to use , with examples . The session notes , which included activities used , comments and points to consider for future sessions , demonstrated the willingness to change and adapt to the needs of the residents and learning from the experience .
The participant session record was a helpful tool to review and identify changes over each session and had the benefit of also including the engagement of relatives . The intention was to record how well the participant communicated , difficulties or setbacks , effects of mood , state of health and also reasons for absence .
Quotes were included , which captured the voice of the residents attending the sessions . I found the flipchart , with words and pictures from different parts of the session , a useful resource when summarising individual and group feedback .
I completed several of the forms and felt it could be developed to break down the component parts , for example different forms of communication observed or different component of mood or signs of well or ill-being . It was important to keep the notes relevant , but also succinct .
Adapting the sessions
Previous Remembering Yesterday , Caring Today programmes had been delivered in community settings over many years , across many countries but this was a new initiative for those with dementia and complex needs in a residential and nursing home setting .
The programme was designed to have a closed group , with the same residents attending each session to develop bonds and trust within the group . Due to the complexity of participants needs , sudden changes in health and the arrival of new residents , this was adapted to an open group , so that each session could stand alone and everyone who wished to attend was welcomed into the group .
Observing the newcomers to the group I noted this did not create any challenges . Some residents joining the group for the first time wanted to observe until they felt confident , while others actively participated from the beginning .
This emphasised the attention to giving back control to the person and encouraging each member of the group to engage in a way that was meaningful for them .
Sessions were adapted to support those at different stages in their dementia and physical needs . Over the period of weeks there was a deterioration in some resident ’ s health , but they were encouraged to attend for all or part of the session and engage in their own way .
Non-verbal communication through demonstration , mime , pictures and words enabled those without speech to be included . Through the delivery of the sessions , I worked on developing greater facial expressions , mime and performance to promote communication .
The programme was designed to also support family / carers . Family members attended some sessions , but were not able to attend all . Work commitments , travel and family members ’ own health needs affected attendance .
Attendance by relatives proved very helpful in developing the resident ’ s life story , which was then included in the memory books , encouraging participation , building confidence and the reassurance of having a close family member present .
Due to the intermittent nature of attendance , it was not possible to have separate carers groups . Family carers were an integral part of the programme and meetings were held individually where possible .
36 OTnews June 2023