Intro
As dementia progresses, reconnecting with cherished memories can be a comforting and enriching experience. Rather than relying on direct questioning, which can be overwhelming, this approach focuses on creating a relaxed atmosphere for sharing stories. By offering gentle prompts, sharing your experiences and suggestions based on the individual's life, this activity aims to stimulate memories in a supportive and enjoyable way.
The length of these reminiscence sessions is flexible and should be guided by the participant's engagement and enjoyment. The provided questions and prompts serve as a helpful starting point, but feel free to adapt them to suit the group and individual needs. The goal is to create a warm and inviting space where memories can be shared freely and comfortably.
What you need
Images of the topics within the activity.
The Activity
- Choose a quiet space with comfortable seating, such as chairs or a cosy sofa. A small table can be helpful for props.
- Begin the session with a friendly greeting. For example, “Hello everyone. I'm so glad you could join me today."
- Once everyone is settled, share a personal memory based on one of the suggestions below. This can help to encourage others to share their experiences.
- Who is your oldest friend?
- Talk about your oldest friend and how long you have known them for.
- Talk about the importance of having friends.
- What did you enjoy most about when you when to school?
- Describe what you loved when you were at school.
- Offer prompts around, playtimes, mealtimes, the journey to school, lessons or a favoured teacher.
- Can you share a place you found beautiful?
- Describe a beautiful garden, or a fancy shiny car.
- Give prompts about other scenarios or things that are considered beautiful.
- Do you have a favourite time of year?
- Offer what time of year you love.
- List the seasons and talk a little about each one, the warmth of summer, or the crispness of winter.
- Are there any smells that bring back special times?
- Describe a smell that triggers a memory for you.
- Roses, the rain, old overcoats, tobacco, perfume, fresh cut grass, sweets or fresh baked bread can bring back many memories.
- Do you have a skill or hobby that others do not know about?
- Describe any hidden talents you have.
- List some other possibles, such as juggling, touching your nose with your tongue, wiggling your ears, rubbing your belly in a circle and patting your head at the same time.
- What TV shows do you enjoy watching?
- Share a TV show you love to watch.
- List a few shows from the era the person would have watched the most TV.
- Do you like to watch or play sports?
- Share what sport you enjoy
- Football, tennis, volleyball, surfing, bowls, curling, skiing, running. The list is endless.
- Have you travelled to other countries?
- Share countries a person may have visited. France, Italy, Germany, America, Canada, Japan, Alaska, Spain, Egypt, Australia.
- Let’s talk about Fashion!
- Fashion has changed so much over the years, describe your favourite.
- Suggest some other styles to the person/group, images will help.
4. Use the suggested prompts to stimulate memories but be flexible and adapt to the group's interests.
5. Allow participants to share their stories without interruption, offering supportive nods and encouraging comments.
6. If the group is enjoying the topic, continue exploring it. If not, gently move on to another prompt.
7. Conclude the session by thanking everyone for sharing their memories.
Reminiscence
