An introduction to reminiscence in dementia care

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Since 1997 the project “Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today” has been operating across Europe. The project supports families living with dementia and caring for a relative at home. The project uses reminiscence and creative arts, especially dramatic re-enactment, to revisit a family’s past shared lives and to support and affirm their relationship. The participants work in a group of 8-10 families over a number of weeks, revisiting milestones in their lives from childhood through youth, marriage, work, parenthood, etc and engaging in structured but informal reminiscence arts activity. A more recent addition to this project has been a training and apprenticeship program that has been running across Europe since 2012.

The book Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today by Pam Schweitzer and Errollyn Bruce is published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

This project is still running in several countries, especially in the UK, and more details can be gained from the websites:

www.europeanreminiscencenetwork.org and www.rememberingyesterdaycaringtoday.com 

Pam Schweitzer received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the 5th National Dementia Care Awards

The awards ceremony was held on November 11th 2014 at the 2014 UK Dementia Congress at the Hilton Hotel Metropole in Brighton.

The Judges said: “Pam was chosen because of her passion for creating fun and re-igniting love and a sense of cohesiveness for couples and individuals living with dementia. Pam has been an inspirational leader through her internationally recognised reminiscence networks, publications, training & resources.”