Psychosocial approaches in dementia care

The Cornwall Creative Dementia Alliance (CCDA) began a year ago as a group of organisations and individuals who all provide non-clinical support to people living with dementia in Cornwall.   Our aim is to work together to improve and raise awareness of psychosocial services for people living with dementia in Cornwall.  

Our first conference on the benefits of using psychosocial approaches in dementia care was held last month at the Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre in Truro.

Over 80 delegates heard presentations from health professionals, Third Sector organisations and people living with dementia; had the chance to be inspired and hold creative conversations in the Market Place area and got involved in lunchtime activities.

The number of delegates and the positive feedback from them shows that there is a thirst for more knowledge about where to signpost patients once diagnosed as well as a need for collaborations between voluntary organisations and health professional to enhance the quality of life for those living with the disease in their communities.  

We're all keen in the Alliance to organise something similar next year so keep an eye out for news later in the year.

To find out more about the CCDA and link through to the presentations click HERE 

TOP LEFT: delegates enjoy an lunchtime session of dance and movement 
TOP MIDDLE: Dr. Nick Cartmell, Keynote speaker

TOP RIGHT: the Market Place

 BOTTOM LEFT: Dr. Jennifer Bute, guest speaker

BOTTOM MIDDLE: networking in the Market Place

BOTTOM RIGHT: Wendy Brewin, speaker

Wendy Brewin
Project Manager

From little acorns..........

There has been a lot happening in the project since my last update and I apologise for the lack of entries here.  Time has flown by and much of it has been spent focusing on establishing working relationships with other dementia-related organisations (more on that soon) and starting some dementia-friendly activities to support people in their own communities. 

So let me introduce you to the Clays walking group; here they are.......

.......enjoying various walks, tea stops and each other's company

It all began with Stephen and his wife Teresa who came along to one of our coffee mornings (a social activity we used to raise awareness of the project in the china clay area around St. Austell).  His frustration with his diagnosis was obvious.  Having been a farm worker all his life he suddenly found himself with no purpose and no bike license. His social life and mode of transport had gone but his determination to do as much as possible whilst he still could was very present.  So we organised a walk, just a short one and local to the area and then we followed that with another one and another and slowly others contacted us and joined in.

There are now 10 regulars in the group, including partners and other community members.  They laugh together, accommodate each others walking paces, share home-made 'goodies' and are disappointed if they have to miss a walk.  Stephen has even presented at a recent conference - his first time ever! (again, more on that soon).

You know the old saying "from little acorns big oaks grow"? combine that with a saying by JF Kennedy: "We must use time as a tool, not as a crutch" and I believe that's a good foundation for building sustainability into our project. We take our time to plant the 'acorns'; whether that's establishing working relationships, developing new activities or getting to know our beneficiaries. It's about appreciating and taking time to do all those things so that we create a solid foundation for sustainable outcomes.  We learn more about our beneficiaries and we develop activities that provide the right support and creativity for them.  

The Clays walking group provides us with wonderful images and anecdotes that we can use to encourage other communities and organisations to work with us.  Soon we'll be starting activities in Bodmin and Liskeard and later in the year - Wadebridge.  

There are exciting times ahead, if our 'acorns' are anything to go by!

p.s. don't go too far, there'll be more coming up shortly about our working partnerships and a 'first' for a conference in Cornwall.




Wendy
Creative Spaces Project Manager

Drop-ins, Memory Cafes and the start of something new!

June and July have been  busy months for Creative Spaces in the Community.

Our drop-in sessions in St. Austell, St. Dennis and Roche created useful links with people living in those communities; not just dementia carers but people in the community that I call 'connectors'. You know, those people who know almost everybody.  Through them we are connecting with local schools, health centres, NEET groups (young people not in education, employment or training), libraries (including community libraries and mobile library services) and community cafes.

our drop-in sessions in ClayTAWC, St. Dennis (top left), Rest & Play cafe, Roche
(top and bottom right) and St.Austell Library (bottom left)

Meanwhile our work with Cornwall's Memory Cafes continues; last month it was Saltash and Penzance (not on the same day thankfully........that would be some travel!).  This month I've been to Redruth and St. Ives and shortly Downderry. Memory Cafes are fun and taxing at the same time.  We've made Memory Postcards, Nature Scrapbooks, woven hazel baskets and hanging decorations (both part of our Weaving Tales activity).

top left: Nature Scrapbooks;  Top right: Memory Postcards;
bottom left and right: Weaving Tales

You concentrate on ensuring that people are getting the most out of the activity, supporting them when needed but at the same time it's just so enjoyable chatting with everyone and watching people engage with each other.  I always leave feeling shattered but with a smile on my face!

So what is there to look forward to next?  Well, following on from the drop-in sessions we'll be developing one or two small projects in St. Dennis and Roche, involving people with dementia, carers and community members.  The aim is to start these projects soon, run them for a couple of months and then review their level of effectiveness in helping people to feel healthy and happy.  More about those later.

We've also recently formed a group of dementia support providers with Age UK, Memory Matters South West, Alzheimer's Society and United Response, amongst others.  Our aim is to share our work together, find ways of working together and promote the benefits of creative social support for people affected by dementia through the health and social care sector in Cornwall.  Not much to say on that at the moment but I'm hopeful it will develop into a strong network of organisations.

Wendy
Creative Spaces Project Manager

Come and meet Creative Spaces

We're just about to embark on  a series of 'drop-in' style sessions in and around St. Austell.  It's important for us to be visible in our local communities so that people living with dementia at home, and their carers, become aware of the project and how it can support them to maintain socially active and healthy lives.

It's not always possible for carers and people with dementia to come to our community events; issues around transport and timing can often hinder opportunities to gather information on creative support.  So we're doing what we can to provide more of those opportunities.  You will find us on various days and times in St. Austell library, the Rest 'n' Play Cafe in Roche and the ClayTAWC building in St. Dennis, all throughout June.

If you live in and around St. Austell and are interested in coming along to find out more, you'll find all the information you need on the 'Events' page of this blog. You can always call the office if you have questions, contact details are also on the 'Events' page.

Let us support you to live a more socially active and healthier life.

Wendy

Creative Spaces Project Manager

Creative Spaces in the Community

What else would you do on a wet and windy Saturday but launch your dementia project?

That was us, a week ago, in an empty shop unit in St. Austell........and what a great day we had!

Joined by representatives from Age UK Cornwall and IOS, Memory Matters South West and St. Austell Memory Cafe, we had tables with information, guidance leaflets showcasing what each organisation could offer.  There were free cup cakes  and of course our lovely nature-based activities that people could join in - providing opportunity for conversation.  Our friend Jo, from Hedgerow and Herb, came along with a lovely selection of herb plants to smell, touch and taste and there was music and films going on in the background to help create a friendly atmosphere.

Despite the horrible weather, around 40 people dropped in that day. Most of them were unpaid carers, family members of people diagnosed with dementia, but we also had neighbours looking for information to help their friend and carer living next door and young people dropping in because a grandparent had dementia.  So, in addition to the project information and dementia support advice that was provided, the event turned out to be an interesting reflection of how much dementia affects our communities.

To find out more about our free activity downloads and dementia-related films you can go to our Creative Spaces page on our website HERE.

We'll be doing more localised events and workshops in and around the St. Austell area; helping people living with dementia in more rural areas through our Creative Spaces in the Community Project and then later in the year we'll be in and around Liskeard. As the project progresses it will extend into other areas of Cornwall over the next 4 years.

Carers are people too

As you know, we are running 3 dementia community events in June this year (see our 'Events' page on this blog) around Cornwall.  These events are aimed at supporting home carers of people living with dementia in the community, their families, friends and other support workers; not to mention a welcome to anyone in the community passing by!

We are trying to gather some prizes for these events; prizes that will give a home carer some 'time out'; the chance to go shopping with a friend, or to enjoy a cream tea in a beautiful Cornish setting, or perhaps sit and enjoy a blockbuster movie at the cinema or relax and be pampered with a facial massage.  Activities many of us enjoy regularly.

A lady focuses on her husband's needs and
enjoyment at a creative session

Dementia carers (all carers in fact) often have to give up work, spend all their time looking after someone else's needs.  They can lose their individuality, feel isolated and lonely and their health often suffers.  You can offer some support, even just a little, by giving them a gift that says "We recognise all that you do and here's something that we hope will allow you to relax and enjoy time out for an afternoon or a few hours".

We've had some fabulous prize offers already from St. Mellion Health Spa, Radio Cornwall, Hall for Cornwall and Trethorne Golf Club but we need a few more.  If you are a business or an organisation based in Cornwall (or know anyone who is!) and can help a dementia carer by donating a prize for our Creative Spaces events then please contact me on 01726 222900

Thank you so much.



Wendy
Creative Spaces Project Manager

Planting memories

Our 'decorated bulb pots' activity is proving very popular at the moment.  We recently ran this activity with 2 memory cafes; Truro and St. Austell.

Cafe members were given a small plastic plant pot each, or between two if they wanted to work in pairs.  The pots were sprayed with a light colour beforehand (around autumn/winter we use gold and silver), using car paint.  People then painted a memory, associated with being outdoors, on to their pot.  These memories can be of anything outdoor-related; not necessarily linked to a garden. The aim is to use the outdoors to stimulate conversation and a connection, or re-connection, between people and between people and places. For example, a carer once painted her pot with the memory of her winter wedding which brought back wonderful memories of the snow and the sound of bells, whilst a member of the St. Ives Memory Cafe recently represented a time she was on the river in a boat with her father which sparked a conversation about her father and family.

Images and textures are also used alongside paint to represent people and places.  If people are not confident to paint they often begin by sticking images on the pots.......more often than not, this leads to filling in the gaps with painted images or decorative "sparkly bits".

Once the pots were decorated and had been left to dry for a while, the bulbs were then planted and the memory written onto a 'sensory flag' and placed in the pot. The text helps to maintain a connection between the individual and their memory until the bulb begins to grow, at which point it takes over that role and becomes a link between someone, their memories and outdoors. It may even be used to encourage someone outdoors if it is eventually planted out in the garden.

photo by Tammy McDermott

People have so much fun doing this activity; even those who begin the session with an anxious "But I can't paint!".  After some reassurance that we're not looking for the next Van Gogh, that nothing is being judged and that the pots they are creating are theirs to take home it's not long before there's a buzz around the table and conversation flows along the lines of "Anyone got any brown?" and "Ooh, I like yours! that's a great bird you've painted!"

Even I brought home a gift from the Truro Memory Cafe. One gentleman heard that the group would be doing an outdoor-related activity and had brought in a bag of outdoor items he'd made from broken pallets.  His skill in woodworking was very obvious as he showed off the various items which included a small soil sifter.  When I asked him if I could have the instructions he proudly handed it to me and said "Have this one my dear".  I was delighted with my gift and have already used it at home to sift my compost ready for seed planting.