Edinburgh Napier student Christy Orr develops tool in memory of her Gran
A sensory box that aims to comfort those affected by dementia through helping recall memories has been created by an Edinburgh Napier student.
Forget Me Not Box has been created by final year graphic design student Christy Orr.
The box contains a set of tools that help trigger the five senses – sight, smell, touch, taste and sound – helping those with dementia recall memories and retain identity. It gives the user the opportunity to completely personalise its items and is split into four main sections.
The lid can be used to showcase photographs. The inclusion of scent bottles provide opportunities for the user to include certain smells such as their favourite perfume. A built-in sound module can provide favourite music or even voice notes from loved ones with another compartment available to store treasured items such as marbles, medals and more.
The box also includes taste cards that can be used as a reminiscence tool. They feature photos and descriptions of food and drink that may trigger memories.
The aim of the box is to allow those affected by dementia to undertake reminiscence therapy sessions with a loved one or carer, with the playful items acting as conversation starters.
Christy, 22, has designed the box as part of her final year graphic design project at Edinburgh Napier, and will this week exhibit her work at the annual Edinburgh Napier Degree Show which takes place online from 2 June.
The toolkit has already been user-tested by individuals at various stages of their dementia diagnosis through a link-up with Yorkshire-based charity Dementia Forward. Christy has also received support from CogniHealth with the project.
Christy, who is from Cumbernauld originally, has created the toolkit in memory of her late-Gran after seeing first-hand her own experiences with Alzheimer’s.
She said: “I was quite young when I lost my Gran to Alzheimer’s but I remember finding it quite difficult to find things to initially talk to her about when I visited her. That’s really where the idea for Forget Me Not Box stemmed from. I wanted to create something that helped start those conversations.
“As I looked more into this area, and learnt more about reminiscence therapy and how it can help, it was important that my box had the ability to be completely personalised to an individual person.
“Everyone has different triggers that invoke memories – whether it be a certain smell, a sound, a photograph, the thought of eating fish and chips or the sight of something like a souvenir from a past holiday. It was essential that the toolkit could help include as many of these things as possible.
“Working with CogniHealth and Dementia Forward has been fantastic, and it’s great to have seen the box out there and being used by people who it was designed for. I’m still awaiting feedback from the user-testing but early indications show that it has been warmly received by those who have used it.
“Although this has been designed as part of my final year project at Edinburgh Napier, I’m very keen to continue with the idea as my time at the University comes to an end. I’m really looking forward to developing the box further in the coming months and if it can help some more people find comfort through a dementia diagnosis, then it’ll have been completely worthwhile.”
The Edinburgh Napier Degree Show runs from today – 2 June. More information and to view this year’s work, visit here.
Capital Theatres, Scotland’s largest theatre charity, in association with the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre, present a new audio project aimed at people living with dementia, their loved ones and carers: When The Sun Meets The Sky.
Leaders in arts and dementia engagement, Capital Theatres presents the audio play in lieu of the annual Care Settings Theatre Tour which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following the success of Sundown Stories, the audio play is developed in very close collaboration with Creative Contributors – people with lived experience of dementia.
The audio play will be available on Capital Theatres’ YouTube channel and the Traverse 3 website from Tuesday, 4 May. Transcriptions and closed captions will be available online, with DVDs, CDs and large print versions available for those without Internet access.
To enhance the experience of the audio play, 70 sensory resource boxes will be produced as well as guides to make-your-own at home.
If they are interested in the audio play and accompanying sensory resource boxes, care homes, families and friends of people living with dementia are encouraged to get in touch by emailing dawn.irvine@capitaltheatres.com.
An online public event on 6 May will give audiences an exclusive behind-the-scenes access to When The Sun Meets The Sky creation process.
Capital Theatres is very pleased to announce its new project developed in partnership with Traverse Theatre which is aimed at people with a lived experience of dementia and older people experiencing isolation and sensory deprivation.
Delivered to care homes in and around Edinburgh as well as to individuals who are living in the community, the audio play was devised in lieu of the annual Capital Theatres’s Care Settings Theatre Tour which had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it also follows on the success of Sundown Stories, a series of short, calming stories written by and for people living with dementia.
Set in iconic Edinburgh locations – from summertime in the Meadows after the war, to a Beatles gig in the ABC on Lothian Road, Christmastime on the Mound in the 80s and ending up in the Port O’Leith after the turn of the millennium, When The Sun Meets The Sky tracks Maggie through the decades as she discovers herself, her city and tries to get to the bottom of a mystery that’s eluded her since childhood.
From the Traverse Theatre, Jack Nurse, Artist in Residence (Creative Development) and Robbie Gordon, Creative Development Producer, led the creative aspect of developing the play, working very closely with Creative Contributors – people living with dementia, their family and friends, carers and ex-carers.
Dawn Irvine, Learning and Participation Co-ordinator (Dementia Friendly Projects) said: “Undoubtedly, the global pandemic has put an unimaginable strain on care homes and those living with dementia, their families, carers and friends.
“Due to the lockdown restrictions, we weren’t able to deliver our usual creative engagement programme so decided to produce something that can be enjoyed remotely and included craft activities and sensory resources to be enjoyed by residents and staff.
“We are very pleased to now be able to share the audio play with public: a quality, creative experience that is shaped by and for people living with dementia. We hope that through this project they will feel encouraged to share their own personal stories and ultimately, feel more empowered and connected to those around them which is more important now than ever before.”
Linda Crooks, Traverse Theatre Executive Producer said: “We are delighted to have partnered with Capital Theatres on this project that speaks powerfully to our commitment of finding creative and meaningful ways for our artists to engage with our audiences and our city with work that seeks to bring communities together during these isolating times.
“COVID-19 has had an undeniable impact on those living with dementia, their carers, family and friends. Created for and with people living with dementia in Edinburgh, we hope that When The Sun Meets The Sky will offer listeners those much needed moments of connection, while also sharing a beautiful story that’s very much rooted in our city.”
Kathryn Bailey Activities Coordinator at the Elms Nursing Home said: “The residents at the Elms have benefitted from the thoughtful collection of dementia-friendly activities produced by Dawn Irvine and the team at Capital Theatres.
“Covid restrictions presented challenges which they overcame with creative alternatives including audio-visual Tea Parties, Sundowning Stories and, most recently, a radio play.
“Residents have positively benefited from all activities and were delighted to be included by the writers of the radio play’s research and to proof-read the drafts of the play as they developed.
“These activities have prompted meaningful conversations, reminiscence and joy in the moment. One of our residents, Joyce Miller, inspired the development of climbing lamp post idea and has worked on a sketch of the scene by adding colour and pattern in a pointillism style.”
Capital Theatres has over 5 years of experience in working creatively with persons living with dementia, the creation of dementia friendly performances as well as trained staff who are knowledgeable about dementia inclusive practice and dementia enablement.
Traverse Theatre is Scotland’s leading new writing theatre and expert in theatre production – recently also in audio play and podcast production.
During the Research & Development phase of the project, Capital Theatres’ team carried out extensive consultations with care homes staff, people living with dementia and their loved ones with whom they have developed a relationship over the years through various projects. The feedback was extremely positive.
Interviewees were very keen on increasing the level of creative engagement in their everyday life – something that has substantially diminished over the past 12 months due to the lockdown restrictions.
They were highly supportive of a radio play as an opportunity for people to engage in either large or small groups or individually as well as support those with visual impairments to enjoy creative work not reliant on sight.
They also appreciated that radio play could be enjoyed with minimal need for care staff intervention and is a resource that can be used over and again.
The episodes of the audio play can be enjoyed individually or as part of a larger, connected story. Delivered in a relaxed, conversational manner with no loud noises or loud music, the audio play focuses on real stories and narration that is easy to follow, without hindrance of sub plots or many characters.
The audio play will be available to experience for free on the Capital Theatres’ YouTube channel and Traverse Theatre website from Tuesday, 4 May. In order to make it as accessible as possible, Capital Theatres’ team has produced a transcribed version, a large print version and will provide CDs and DVDs to those without Internet access.
The audio play will be distributed among Edinburgh and Lothians care homes and people living with dementia in their own homes. Capital Theatres and Traverse Theatre would like to encourage those who are interested in experiencing the project to get in touch by emailing dawn.irvine@capitaltheatres.com.
To further enhance the experience, Capital Theatres has produced a number of sensory packs which will be distributed to care homes and individuals alongside the play.
These packs will include items relating to the stories that can be touched or smelled like a small bottle containing an essence of a smell of freshly cut grass. The packs will also provide a list of conversation starters to encourage listeners to delve deeper into the themes explored in the play and share their own experiences. The team has also produced an easy guide to making your own sensory pack at home.
The cast of When the Sun Meets the Sky includes popular stage and tv actor Irene Allan, known for her roles in Taggart and Doctors – Maureen Beattie, Mason Clarke-Whale, a second year BA Acting student at RCS, River City and Taggart-regular Tam Dean Burn, playwright and actor Robbie Gordon, actor, musician and singer Rebekah Lumsden and Rehanna Macdonald, known for her work with Richard Burton Company and Stellar Quines, among others.
A free, digital, public event taking place on Thursday (6 May) will give those interested in learning more about the process of creating When The Sun Meets The Sky an exclusive access to the behind-the-scenes.
Featuring Dawn Irvine, Dementia Friendly Co-ordinator at Capital Theatres, from the Traverse Theatre, Robbie Gordon, Creative Development Producer and Artist in Residence, Jack Nurse as well as Ian Laurence, one of the Creative Contributors, this special digital event will be hosted on Capital Theatres’ website.
Agincare, a family-owned care provider, has released practical home improvement advice to help families adapt an older relative’s home or care home room into a space where they can live comfortably and safely.
The advice contains just under a dozen home improvement and interior design tips that can help older people living with dementia, visual impairment, Alzheimer’s, hearing impairment, and mobility.
Adam Luckhurst, Director at Agincare, said: “We’ve set out our recommendations covering rooms for people living with dementia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, Alzheimer’s and frailty. And our 3D floorplans really bring the ideal layout in a care home room or an entire house to life.
“Ultimately, we want to help people stay independent for as long as possible, and these simple changes can make a big difference. Whether your family member wants to stay in their own home or is living in a care home, there are simple and effective changes you can make to help improve their quality of life.”
Agincare’s top tips for making homes and care home rooms safer and more comfortable are:
1) Replace wall art with family photographs in wooden frames.
“Photographs can provide important visual reminders to family members with dementia. But be careful about using mirrored frames as they can trigger confusion. Agincare’s experts suggest using wooden frames instead.”
2) Make sure rooms are brightly lit with natural light.
“Plenty of natural light can not only help with sight, including spotting any trip hazards for older people unsteady on their feet, it is also proven to reduce psychoactive symptoms, which are common side effects of neurodegenerative diseases.”
3) Remove rugs and frayed carpets.
“Family members of older people with limited mobility may be conscious about electrical leads and slippery surfaces causing a trip hazard. However, one of the most common reasons for falls in the home is rugs and frayed carpets. These should be removed from living rooms and kitchens to create a safer space.”
4) Have open shelving instead of cupboards.
“Cupboards can be stressful for older people with dementia. It can be difficult for them to remember which contents are behind which doors, for instance. Installing open shelving can help by putting everything on display.”
5) Install a banister rail on both sides of the staircase.
“A single banister on one side of the staircase is not enough to minimise the risk of falling. Instead, they suggest having two banisters – one on each side – to give support going up and down the stairs.”
6) Choose furniture that contrasts with walls to help visibility.
“The trendy minimalist colour schemes of contemporary homes may not be practical for an older family member with a visual impairment. If furniture is the same shade of colour as the decor, it can present a trip and injury risk. Embrace a colour clash and bring more contrasts into the home.”
7) Hang thick curtains for improved sound insulation.
“Good acoustics are essential for older people with hearing difficulties. Street noise can make hearing conversations, listening to music or enjoying what’s on the television tricky. Thick curtains provide good sound insulation.”
8) Decorate with a variety of textures to help with sensory needs.
“When you begin to lose your sight, you start relying more on your sense of touch. Agincare recommends using a variety of textures in decorating the home of someone with a visual impairment to help them find their way around.”
Agincare’s experts have created a series of 3D room layouts to illustrate their top tips.
The free room layouts from homes are available on the Agincare website here and the room layouts from care homes are available here.
Some dementia researchers funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK have been given special access to head back into the lab at the University of Edinburgh, while ensuring they comply with the strict government guidelines on social distancing.
While resourceful scientists funded by the UK’s leading dementia research charity were still managing to do some work in innovative ways wherever possible from home, this return marks a change in pace with scientists physically allowed back in the lab to resume their pioneering research.
Almost one million people in the UK are living with dementia, and over half of us know someone affected – in Scotland alone, 90,000, people live with the condition.
People with dementia experience memory loss, confusion, personality changes and gradually lose the ability to manage daily life. And sadly, it has become clear that people with dementia are more at risk of experiencing severe effects of COVID-19.
Dr Katie Askew from the University of Edinburgh is still predominantly working from home, but has now been given special dispensation to resume experimental work.
Research will not return to 100% capacity for some time, but this return will allow Dr Askew to set up new experiments and complete time-critical work after being unable to access the lab for three months.
With only limited treatment options available for people who develop dementia, Dr Askew’s work funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK aims to examine the relationship between reduced blood flow and inflammatory changes in the brain.
It will also look for the effect these changes have on memory and thinking in Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
As there is considerable overlap in the symptoms caused by the two different forms of dementia, tests that can distinguish between these different underlying diseases could be very valuable.
Not only would this allow people with memory problems to receive a more accurate diagnosis, it would also help make sure the right people are being given potential future treatments at the right time.
Speaking about yesterday’s return to the lab, Dr Katie Askew from the University of Edinburgh, said: “Just as research is vital in the fight against COVID-19, we know that research will help us to overcome dementia.
“We are looking forward to resuming experiments that were postponed due to lockdown. I am able to return to the lab, albeit in a much-reduced capacity, to set up complete experiments and set up new long-term studies due to special dispensation from the University as my research project has significant time constraints.
“Dementia research has been hit hard and while we won’t be at full strength for a while, our lab is looking to start new experiments to complete our projects when it is safe for us to do so. We will ensure we are working safely to help avoid vital work like this stalling again as COVID-19 is still out there and remains a significant threat to our communities as well as our research.”
Any wider return to labs across Scotland will be based on Scottish Government guidance and approval from the host university.
Dr Rosa Sancho, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Dementia affects 90,000 people in Scotland, and nearly one million people across the UK. Research carried out by dementia experts like Dr Askew is the only way we will create a world free of the fear, harm and heartbreak of the condition.
“Alzheimer’s Research UK estimates it could be facing a potential drop in income due to COVID-19 of up to 45%, and dementia research has been hit hard by the pandemic. While all researchers will still have challenges to face, this physical return to work gives them and everyone affected by dementia hope that we will see progress in dementia research continue.
“Our funding for research like this would not be possible without donations from our fantastic supporters. Now more than ever, dementia research needs our backing. Anyone can donate to help dementia research regain momentum at alzres.uk/make-donation or by calling call 0300 111 5555.”
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