This month, Suzanne Mumford explores how and why reminiscence therapy can help people who are isolated or lacking in confidence to feel more able to join groups and make friends.
For anyone who has potentially become isolated and less confident, it can be a worrying or stressful concept to join a group or start a conversation. For people living with dementia this issue is especially acute. Most of us are not qualified reminiscence therapists, but that shouldn’t stop us from supporting people to reminisce, both one-to-one and in groups.
We do, however, need to be aware of the emotional impact that reminiscence can have, seeking additional support both for individuals participating in reminiscence and supervisory support for the person delivering reminiscence.
While there are many reasons for using reminiscence – including life review and life story work, supporting and meeting cultural and spiritual needs, and supporting and reinforcing a person’s sense of self and positive identity – perhaps the most important aspect of using reminiscence is to start conversations. If we can create a sense of relationship and build trust both between individuals and in groups, it can be both empowering and transformative.
Informal reminiscence includes talking about experiences we have in common or have shared. We don’t always recognise that people can get out of the ‘habit’ of talking to one another, having been psychologically or physically isolated. The art of conversation is a skill which needs to be practiced. The longer we go ‘without’ regular conversation, the more likely we are to lose confidence in our ability to converse socially and build relationships. Loneliness and social isolation can often result in a previously confident person losing confidence to join in activities and groups, for fear of ‘not knowing anyone’ or ‘not knowing what to say’.
Reminiscence materials like photos on the wall, objects that are easy to see and touch, music, and even the Daily Sparkle, offer spontaneous opportunities to start conversations. These conversations are important to build confidence, retain a sense of self-worth and well-being. The articles and activities within the Daily Sparkle are carefully researched and designed to help staff to easily start conversations that help people to practice the art of conversation – what begins with a brief chat about an article in the Daily Sparkle over breakfast in their room, may well be the starting point for someone to feel confident enough in the future to join a group activity.
Suzanne Mumford runs our Activity Coordinators Training Course. She has over 25 years experience working as a dementia and activities specialist for several leading UK care home groups, is a qualified trainer and is currently Specialist Advisor (Nursing) on CQC care home inspection teams. You can find out more and book The Daily Sparkle Activity Coordinators Training online.
