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Share and Share Alike with People living with Dementia

Published: 13/03/2017

Flintshire County Council is working with Purple Platform to deliver a project called “Share and Share Alike”. Share and Share Alike is a new inter-generational project written, delivered by Jane Meakin at Purple Platform - an organisation which uses proven drama techniques to unleash creativity, boost confidence and develop presentation skills in supportive and stimulating environments. Jane has worked with local school children from Queensferry CP School and St Ethelwold’s to instruct them in effective reminiscence techniques. This was in preparation for their visit to patients with dementia at Deeside Community Hospital. During the visit, the children collected the patients’ life stories and memories which they will use with Jane to write and record a collection of poems. The recordings will form a unique outdoor poetry installation in the new sensory garden at the hospital. In this way the memories of the dementia patients will be shared with families, friends and the local community. This unique project has been made possible by funding from Communities First and other partners: Flintshire County Council, Deeside Community Hospital, the Alzheimer’s Society along with the two local schools. All learners in each school received “Dementia Friends” training to give them an awareness of dementia. Jane then delivered workshops in effective reminiscence techniques to 24 learners from each school. Following one session, Jane tweeted what one learner had written: “As a Dementia Friend, I will support people with dementia and help them with stuff that they might forget. I could make notes for them and stick them around the house, help do outdoor stuff like gardening or walking their dog. I will be patient with them.” Following the recent visit to the community hospital, Jane will facilitate the creation of poems with the learners and record them. An outdoor poetry installation will be introduced in a new sensory garden at the hospital.