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

Family forages

I think we've all been a little caught off-guard by the change in the weather recently (hopefully summer will return soon!), especially the drop in temperature.  The disappointment of having to open up the jumper drawer or take the coat down off the hook has turned my mind, albeit briefly, to autumn and the shortening days and the need to be thinking about a change of activities in Creative Spaces.

Just because we're less likely to spend time outside on windy, cold, wet days doesn't mean that we should deny ourselves that all-important connection with nature.  There are still many low-cost, fun activities that we can do to enhance someone's (and our own) day.  Some may require a little forward-thinking and planning but not to any great degree.

For example, I've already been pressing colourful flowers and petals to be used in our activities such as Nature Palettes and Memory Postcards.  But there are lots of garden material that I'll be collecting now in preparation for autumnal activities:

• Seed heads, flower petals and leaves can be collected and pressed between sheets of blotting paper weighed down by heavy books. Some seed heads look particularly lovely if hung and dried and then sprayed for use in winter activities such as woven hazel centre-pieces for the Christmas table. 
• Fruit such as blackberries and raspberries and apples can be collected and frozen or dried ready for culinary use (not to mention the fun part of picking berries.....'one in the bag, one for me'!) or in making bird food garlands and mobiles
• Herbs can be picked and hung in bunches to dry then chopped and kept in jars to be used later in sensory activities such as making hanging decorations or pot pourri bags

Top: nuts, fruits & spices are great for festive decorations
Middle: leaves, seeds and dried fruit ready to go
Bottom:  pressing flowers is very therapeutic

The point is, all this gathering in the garden, or on regular walks, encourages conversation. What plants or landscapes will jog memories? Is it a favourite walk and why, or perhaps a new walk with news things to discover?  Will the walk be repeated?  What shall we do with the items gathered? a family activity perhaps?

Gathering materials whilst out and about is an activity in itself; a tool to create moments of enjoyment, social interaction and a sense of purpose which then creates an opportunity for even more of those moments through the activity for which the items were collected.

So get yourself and your loved one out and about this weekend; start collecting things for pressing, freezing or drying and enjoy the moments that you share together.




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.

B-looming Marvellous!

Just look at what we were up to last Friday - you can't keep us away from all these dementia/memory loss events!  This one was organised by Age UK Cornwall and was well attended throughout the day.  We set up an area where we could provide activities and have an opportunity to chat with people about what kind of support/social interaction they had in their communities.

Other conversations were based around reminiscing about places, people, work etc.  If someone was at ease, chatting with us and being creative, their carer would take the opportunity to spend a little 'me' time wandering around, getting coffee, having a massage themselves; we're always glad we can help them to have a little time to themselves.

If you're wondering what the activities were, people could either have a go at weaving natural materials through our nature loom (as you can see from the corner photos, there were daffodils, ivy, reeds, grasses - all great for weaving) or they could create pages for the beginnings of their own nature scrapbook using a mixture of natural materials and craft tools such as stamps (top and bottom middle photos). Either activity provided the opportunity to chat; initially based around the activity but often, as most conversations do, leading off on a tangent to other aspects of life.



Wendy
CSiC Project Manager

In a nutshell

With the doors finally closed on the Creative Spaces project, reflecting on what has been an amazing 4 years is a natural part of the process.

Articles summarising the last year of the project will be forthcoming on our website (an evaluation report for Years 1 – 3 is already on there).  In the meantime it's been useful to ‘download’ project highlights from my own little grey cells.  As you would expect, there’s a lot to tease out and too much to put in this blog, but here are some snippets:

Intergenerational activities
The young people involved had little trouble accepting older people with dementia.  The skills they gained in dementia awareness and communication helped, but it was through the intergenerational activities that they really connected with each other. 


The stories
These were such a powerful element of the project.  For example, there were accounts about family life, friends, growing up, outdoor experiences , jobs and hobbies.  All inspired by  the outdoors and/or nature-based activities. Stories were shared by a master bookbinder, a couple who had lived all around the world and a Cornish Bard, to name but a few from the many people involved. People who discovered an affinity through shared experiences and better understanding and helped to enrich each others lives.   


Supporting carers 
Home carers living in rural areas in particular need improved support to access local groups and organisations.   Our community workshops and events both highlighted and helped address this issue.  We met people who were desperate to find social support and the confidence to try activities that enriched their lives and removed feelings of isolation and depression.  For many, the fortnightly trip to their memory cafe was the only social occasion they had.

So in a nutshell, get creative with dementia care; organise intergenerational activities, make better use of outdoor environments, use natural materials to create meaningful activities and keep costs down, stimulate social interaction for those diagnosed with dementia and their carers.  Trust me, you'll be on to a winner.

   

Wendy

Project Manager

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Creative Carers

It's amazing how creative you can be with materials found around the house and out in the garden, such as twigs, wool, ribbon, leaves and flowers.  Here's a photographic montage of our recent dementia community events that took place at Heartlands in Pool, Launceston Town Hall and the Eden Project.  Hopefully the images will reflect the amazing time that we all had; all down to the wonderful organisations who participated, the support of the venues and the attendance of carers, families, friends, care professionals, people living with dementia and the general public.

         

cress-growing kits - free
to take away

Free Creative Spaces resource
bags for home carers

     

Colourful tables help to attract people to activities

our Nature Palette activity - brimming
with spring flowers, herbs and leaves

         

 

Sue McDermott (Memory Cafe
Network Manager) chats with an
interested couple

People enjoying the
Weaving Tales activity

Trainee nurses engage with
the Nature Mobiles activity

               

Singing for the Brain sessions stimulate
your motor neurons and have your endorphins leaping for joy!

Our Sensory Trees activity table at Eden
looks good enough to eat!

A jumbled picture in our quiz sits behind the Reflections
South West stand..........yes, they're real cakes!

Quizzers post their answers
and hope to win a prize

 

One lovely Weaving Tales ornament made by a gentleman
with a lot of patience!

The Hedgerow and Herbs table full and
evocative...just like an English hedge

Commissioned by Arts for Health, Victoria Bampfield-
Hammond encourages participants to create an amazing,
enormous birds nest.....

..including me

Picture books from the library offer
reminiscence stimulation

We connect so easily through 'making' together

Conversations cross generations

Whatever our age or ability, we are a social species that
loves coming together and interacting in meaningful ways

Organisations who participated included:
Age UK
The Alzheimer's Society
Arts for Health Cornwall
Memory Matters South West
Reflections South West
Memory Cafes Network
Launceston Memory Cafe
Dementia Friendly Communities
Cornwall Care
Time for Change
WRVS
Carers Rights

Their advice and information was invaluable to the families and carers who attended and helped raise awareness among the members of public who dropped in.

Thank you to everyone for making these events worthwhile and a whole lot of fun!

Wendy

Creative Spaces Project Manager

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

Carers Week 2013

We have news on our community events happening during Carers Week this year.

In partnership with Age UK, Alzheimer's Society and Arts for Health Cornwall, we'll be providing  home carers the opportunity to try several of our creative activities (and those that do will get a free resource kit) that can support them in a domestic environment. In addition, professionals and people with dementia will be there to provide advice, information and support. There will be lots happening for everyone who pops in!

Check out the Events page on this blog for more information or call the office on 01726 222900 if you would like to know more.

Members of Bude Memory Cafe enjoyed learning a new
nature-based activity through Creative Spaces; so can you!

Wendy
Project Manager

Valuable moments

What do you get if you cross hazel twigs with a ball of plasticine and some knitting wool?  A rather bizarre looking Shaun the sheep?

Actually no; what you get is an afternoon of giggling, creativity and an impromptu game of "Cat's cradle" with members of the Penzance Memory cafe.

Start by dishing out the plasticine. Stand back (a there's no need to light any touch paper) and watch them relax, smile, communicate and engage with each other as they roll, knead and squeeze it.  It seems that rolling it not only warms up the plasticine but warms up people as well!

Now push some short sticks into the plasticine, throw lots of coloured wool into the mix and watch people weave away their anxieties.  Different weaving patterns come into play as people develop their own styles, partnerships build as people work together; sometimes as the weaver sometimes as the person stabilising the twigs until the wool forms a strong bond between them.  For a final touch, add flowers and leaves.

All the while the room buzzes with conversations:
"I remember my mother putting pins in the top of an old cotton reel"
"Oh yes, they call that French Knitting; I remember my grandma showing me how to do that"
"Do you know the cat's cradle?"
"I know we used to do it at school but I can't remember how I did it"
"I'll show you, wait here"

A few minutes later that lady came back with a loop of wool and showed me how to play the Cat's Cradle.

Our activities aren't about the quality of the finished product (if there is one). They're about the journey you take through them; the person you spend that time with, the conversation you had, the things you learned about each other........that is what's important.  If you happen to come away with a lovely object that you've made yourself, that's grand, but that's not where the power to make us feel valued and part of our group/community or society is lurking.  That power is ours in that moment when we share a part of ourselves with someone else, whether through laughter, knowledge, a skill or a memory.

 





Wendy
Creative Spaces Project Manager

The birds and the trees

Launceston, Truro and Mullion........we certainly travelled around the County last week!

At Launceston Memory Cafe we showed members how to make functional yet attractive bird feeders using natural materials they can gather from their own gardens and chunks of fruit and fat balls mixed with bird seed.

Hung in a garden these feeders provide perches and food for the birds and add colour to the garden this time of year, particularly if your trees and hedges are pretty bare at the moment.

It works well for 2 people, making it an ideal activity to support Dementia care at home. You can add as much or as little food as you like to the feeder.  Most important is the time you spend together in the activity.  It should be a time of fulfilling moments; of conversation, memories, future dreams, smiles and giggles.

Mullion Memory Cafe provided another opportunity for us to trial our new Sensory Tree activity with people living with Dementia.  The photos show how brilliant they all were at using their initiative and creativity in a way that resulted in each tree being unique to the individual person; reflecting their personal connections with nature and their past.

In between the trips to the memory cafes was a morning workshop with a group of  Age UK Facilitators - what a giggly bunch they were!  This group of volunteers befriend older people living in the mid County area, including people living with Dementia, some of them also provide CST (Cognitive Stimulation Therapy).

Armed with a table full of plants, leaves, flowers, pine cones, hazel sticks and lots of coloured twine and ribbon, they chatted and laughed their way through our Nature Mobile activity.  They'll take that experience away with them and use the activity to stimulate that kind of positive emotion in the people they support.

Wendy
Creative Spaces Project Manager

Shadows of nature

Last week we did a Shadow Box activity with members of the Fowey Memory Cafe. Guests, relatives and volunteers worked together to build their boxes and then fill them with freshly picked garden flora, pressed flowers, wildlife stickers and stamps.

It was our first time using this activity and it was chosen to see if it would encourage the guests to share stories and memories, to stimulate their creativeness and, most importantly, to give them a sense of achievement (they built the frames themselves as well as decorating inside the boxes).

What a result - the table buzzed as people chatted about places they grew up in or had visited, their interest in wildlife, plants, growing things, pets etc and, for some guests, how long it had been since they'd used wood and carpentry skills!

It was such a lovely afternoon; we even ran over time and into their tea/coffee and cake break.........and no-one mentioned it; not one complaint. They were too busy chatting and finishing off their displays.

I've been thinking about the activity since. I admit I didn't know why they were called Shadow Boxes.   Wikipedia provided an explanation

A shadow box is an enclosed glass-front case containing an object or objects presented in a thematic grouping with artistic or personal significance. 

Typically given to people in military service, on retirement, they contained awards and medals that the person had achieved during their career.

It's pleasing to think that they have now been used to display items that help people living with Dementia to connect to the world around them and that, in building them, they have awarded themselves with a sense of achievement.

Wendy

Creative Spaces Project Manager

From care home to home care

Whoooooooosh.....that was it; that was the Summer!  The last few months flew past like a non-stop train.  So on to the latest news before we find ourselves celebrating a new year.

National Lottery Awards - Best Health Project
Firstly, a huge "Thank you!" to everyone who voted for the Creative Spaces in the National Lottery Awards this summer. Sadly we were not one of the final three but it was a huge compliment to be shortlisted by a panel of judges and we're very proud of that.  It was a testament to all the hard work that everyone put into the project.

Has Creative Spaces finished?

Well, the Reaching Communities grant has finished and it's amazing to see the overall achievements from the past 3 years. We have engaged over 200 older people with dementia in activities and outdoor environments with over 60 young people.  As a result they have felt less isolated and anxious and become more engaged with their communities, whilst the young people have increased their understanding of dementia and made real friendships with them.

Over 600 carers (professional and non professional) attended workshops, events and presentations and gained more experience of using outdoor environments to support dementia care and social integration. Nearly 350 people from local communities joined in events, activities and day trips; gaining a better understanding of dementia and how people with dementia can play active roles within their community.

Our resources, publications and activity sheets were disseminated out to just under 2000 people - including care professionals, relatives, care volunteers, landscape architects and garden designers as well as other professionals.  Articles written for national publications reached a much wider audience.

Add to that observations and accounts of reduced anxiety and improved sleep in residents; of friendships formed, fears banished, skills discovered and people generally feeling more supported and valued. That kind of impact you can't put a figure on. All in all, 3 years well spent.

But the story is not over..........

Creative Spaces Part II
......it continues in the form of Supporting Change and Impact grants from the Big Lottery; providing a further 12 months funding to take the process and activities used in care homes out into the community to support home carers and people with dementia living at home.

It's a new project but as it's developed from our previous work, we're keeping the name!  New resources are being developed, along with guidance materials for home and community carers.  Community events will take place and a local support network established.




Hollywood here we come!
It's all about camera angles, lighting and story-telling at the moment. There's soon to be a short film about the project itself; covering the garden design, activities and community engagement and we already have a 3 minute film on YouTube, entitled Ernie and Ethan - just two lovely chaps (one aged 91, the other aged 14) talking about their friendship and involvement in the project.  You can view it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1BkUUhC8Bw

Remember our call for applications to produce films from poems? (Dementia Uncovered' post; April 2012).  The 7 commissioned artists have produced 4 films, 2 animations and a digital image for us and we can't wait to show them publicly.  There are no set dates yet but we expect them to be ready by the middle of this month and you'll be able to view them through our website, YouTube, at various community events and conferences as well as this year's Cornwall Film Festival in November.

Watch this space for a red carpet.


And finally...
I'd like to end this post with a tribute to Ernie who passed away this summer at the grand age of 91.  Ernie participated in the project from the beginning.  He loved his chrysanthemums, loved being outdoors and loved the company of others.  He broke into a song about apples at Heligan Gardens and at the Eden Project he regaled us with stories of distilling wine down to pure alcohol as a young man in the army.  It was a pleasure to be in his company and, although he is sadly missed, will always be remembered with great affection every time we see his Chrysanthemums bloom in the garden.