Dementia care
Dementia care
Some family members were facing major transitions in their lives as their relatives began settling into the residential home . Reminiscence provided a way to capture happy and important times from the past and at times uncover something new about their relative for example experiences of school or first job .
The sessions also served to create new memories and shared experiences in the group . These were often captured with photographs ( with their permission ) with an emphasis on having fun and enjoying time together .
Activities and use of creative arts
Each resident was given a memory book to capture their experiences from the past and the content of the sessions . These incorporated pictures , words and photographs . Through life story work , I got to know the residents at a deeper level , for example their school days , first jobs and life events such as marriage , family and celebrations .
The books were available each week and there was a great deal of interest in revisiting experiences and capturing meaningful moments . Music and singing were built into the sessions but often arose spontaneously creating a sense of fun and togetherness .
Sensory elements , for example the use of lavender , the smell of baby powder , the smell of shoe polish and making up posies of flowers , all stimulated the senses and promoted engagement .
Artefacts were displayed on tables and chairs to promote discussion as residents arrived and a sense of exploration and discovery was evident .
Trying on hats and costumes for the session on weddings , engaging with games from childhood , feeling and smelling the leather satchel during the session about school days , and polishing the brass and shoes , were some of the activities used to enhance sensory stimulation .
I reflected on the use of enactment of life events for residents at the later stages of dementia and whether this could lead to confusion or disorientation . I also reflected on whether those in same sex relationships would feel confident in sharing during the session about weddings and relationships .
Also , whether it might raise unhappy feelings for those who had experienced challenges in their relationships or loss .
The session incorporated role play , performance , sharing what you might give as a wedding gift , music and celebration and was not necessarily reliving a previous experience . Observation and attention was crucial to ensure the wellbeing of each member of the group .
The value of reminiscence
There are currently an estimated 55 million people worldwide living with dementia , and it has a physical , psychological , social and financial impact ( WHO 2022 ).
The signs of wellbeing that I observed reinforced my belief in the value of reminiscence for people with dementia and family members . The flexibility and adaptability in the way it was delivered meant it could be tailored to those in residential settings with complex needs as well as community settings .
The uniqueness of each person and every group called for a programme that was responsive at every stage . I believe that Remembering Yesterday , Caring Today is an approach that lends itself to evolving and developing to meet the needs of different groups and settings .
R
Brooker D ( 2004 ) ‘ What is person-centred care ?’, Reviews in Clinical Gerontology , 13 ( 3 ): 215-222 . DOI : 10.1017 / S095925980400108X Dementia UK ( 2022 ) www . dementiauk . org / reminiscence-activities /
Kitwood T ( 1997 ) Dementia reconsidered . Buckingham : Open University Press .
There are currently an estimated
55 million
Schweizer P and Bruce E ( 2008 ) Remembering Yesterday , Caring Today : Reminiscence in Dementia Care . London : Jessica Kingsley Publications .
WHO ( 2022 ) Dementia . Available at www . who . int / news-room / fact-sheets / detail / dementia [ accessed 25 May 2023 ].
people worldwide living with dementia
Words DR SANDIE WOODS , Lecturer , University of West London , London South Bank University and Roehampton University , email sandra . woods @ roehampton . ac . uk or e153337 @ lsbu . ac . uk
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June 2023 OTnews 37