What a wonderful list. Thank you to everyone who replied. Here is a summary of the most applicable responses to my enquiry.

 

 

During my time with Stoke Libraries I also developed and accredited a course called Practical Reminiscence Skills. I have continued to deliver training on an occasional basis and to offer bespoke packages. I would say the key thing in reminiscence is taking time...time to prepare, time to deliver, time to share with people as individuals and time to reflect.  I have both a website and a facebook site which gives some information regarding the topics, etc. which I deliver.
www.kathreynolds.co.uk Facebook - kathreynoldsReminiscence
I also have a reminiscence themed article in the summer special edition of People's Friend!

Each box contains ‘instructions’, which are really ideas of how the boxes could be used. So as well as the items in the box, there are suggestions about format of session, a few theme-appropriate poems that could be read and sometimes a game that could be played by way of an ice-breaker.

 

 

Our boxes are borrowed by local care homes, in particular by Activities Co­ordinators, to enable group and individual reminiscence therapy sessions. In February 2016 we coordinated a networking event and invited Activities Coordinators to share ideas on how to utilise the contents of the boxes to enable reminiscence.  In response to feedback, we are currently organising events for people with dementia who are living at home, and their carers.  We plan to host regular ‘Memories afternoons’ at different libraries around Wirral, with music, refreshments, and reminiscence activities, to enable families to come together in a safe space to share experiences and spend precious time with their relatives.

CILIP article http://www.cilip.org.uk/blog/bringing-people-together-memories

 

 

We do not offer reminiscence box training, however we work very closely with care/residential/day care homes encouraging them to use materials available from Dudley libraries.

 

·         Home library service - we deliver to the activity/care home managers a selection of items to support activities, reminiscence, poetry and short story reading for the activity coordinator to use monthly

·         We hold shared reading/stories read aloud, to groups at care homes/daycentres etc. Always request staff to remain with the group, this supports them and helps to give them the confidence to hold future sessions. We encourage the residents to discuss the stories and use as an aid to reminisce.

·         Further sessions are held where we combine both reminiscence materials, stories and poems to support reminiscence.

·         Using poets to support sessions e.g reminisce childhood with poems stories and encourage some creative writing. Care staff then continue to use the ideas.

 

Although we don’t offer specific reminiscence box training we provide supportive ideas for carers to use library materials in reminiscence sessions. We were approached by Dudley dementia day centres for ideas for reminiscence sessions during Dementia Awareness week and provided them with poems, stories and book ideas that they could use for their sessions

 

 

We currently lend out reminiscence materials to various groups, care homes and other interested individuals in boxes. I've been developing the collections so that they can stimulate all 5 senses in users including:

Visual: Photographs, slides, books, postcards

Audio: Music CDs

Smell: Scents (vortex cubes)

Touch: Objects and artifacts to physically handle

Taste: Recipes for reminiscence (as we can't give out food for obvious reasons)

 

 

We don't currently provide training to borrowers in how to use the packs however where possible I try to include one general book on how to lead reminiscence sessions in each pack. As most of our borrowers are either an activity co-ordinator in a care setting or a volunteer befriender I am finding that many have already received reminiscence training within other networks. Longer term I would like library staff to be trained to provide reminiscence training but the reality of the situation is that we will never have enough staff to be in a position to go out to care settings and deliver reminiscence sessions on a sustained basis. At best we could provide initial training and then be a support network for those involved in reminiscence work however that is still some way off in the future.

I received reminiscence training myself from THELMA (THE Living Memory Association: www.livingmemory.org.uk)  

 

 

I have run training sessions for Library Staff to help them understand our reminiscence collection, so that they can promote it to our customers.  The idea behind my training is for them to find out why we have the collection, what the benefits are and to have a bit of fun!  Before the session I put several pieces from the boxes on the table we will be sitting round, with some post it notes and pens. When they arrive I explain what the session is about and then ask them all to take a post it note and write on it a nickname they have had during their life, from family, friends, school or work – any name they have been called that isn’t their given name. We then go round the table, each person sticks their name to them and explains why they were/are called it.  This usually leads to some great stories/discussions and laughter. I then explain that what they have been doing is reminiscing.

Next I do a short talk on dementia, the various types and causes, symptoms and how to help people with early onset dementia, and how to ensure their library is dementia friendly. I then speak about emotions, how after a reminiscence session, a walk along the beach, a day out can leave someone with dementia with a lasting feeling of joy and happiness even if they cannot remember why, and equally an argument or frustrated discussion can leave them upset and confused long after the event, without them knowing why and without the being able to process their emotions.  How we are with them can affect hours, days and even weeks.

The next exercise involves them choosing an item from the table (I often play some music while they are doing this, usually Wonderwall!) they then explain why they chose that particular item, which often entails stories of grand parents,  other family members or holidays. After this I explain that each story had a huge emotional impact (99% of them do) on the person and the gave an understanding to the group. 

The last part of the session is explaining how important it is to get information while you can, you may know a relative’s Wedding Anniversary but where was it, who were the bridal party, why were they chosen, what food was eaten at the reception!  All these things can be helpful later down the line.  We end the session with a few questions and answers.

I have facilitated this training several times, and it always seems to leave the staff happy, and I have feedback that they spent the day reliving old memories!  Which in turn shows them the importance of reminiscence training.

 

 

Age Friendly Museums Network

You might be interested in signing up to the Age Friendly Museums Network. The Network includes professionals from health and social care, voluntary sector as well as museum professionals. There are over 700 people on the Network and we share good practice with working with older people. To sign up to the Network just follow the link http://eepurl.com/_Kbev  and read our current e-newsletter here which includes information and case studies.

 

 

http://creativehertfordshire.com/the-art-of-wellbeing/memory-box-lowewood-museum-project-snapshot/

 

 

http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/Learning/Past-projects/Museums-Alive

 

 

 

 

Hi all

 

I am trying to find:

 

·         examples of what training libraries give to care home staff or others about how to use reminiscence boxes with older people

·         innovative ways of using reminiscence boxes.

 

If anyone is willing to share their experiences please email me direct. Let me know if its okay for your response to be included in a summary back to the list.

 

Many thanks

Barbara

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Healthcare Library Prospect Park Hospital Berkshire Healthcare NHS FT Honey End Lane, Reading Berkshire RG30 4EJ

Barbara Moye Acting Library Services Manager   ( Tel: +44 (0) 118 960 5020 * Email: [log in to unmask] 8 Web:http://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/libraries/

 

 

 

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