| Across the country, organisations are running some brilliant dementia-friendly initiatives that make for a great day out, from museum programmes to craft activities. Here’s a sample of some that may be of interest – click the links for more info on each project.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh has new monthly dementia friendly morning sessions called ‘Royal Reminiscence’ taking place in the Abbey Strand Learning Centre. These sessions are free (booking essential) and each month will explore different parts of the Palace’s eventful history, from Mary, Queens of Scots to Bonnie Prince Charlie, incorporating storytelling with crafts and music for each theme.
The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh hosts Museum Socials, for anyone affected by dementia, their relatives, friends and supporters, on the third Friday of the month. Museum Socials create a friendly environment where everyone is welcome and all contributions are valued. They are suitable for first-time visitors and for those who might not regularly come to the museum, as well as people who have always loved visiting.
Glasgow Museums now offer free Age Well sessions for groups of older adults and care homes visiting their venues. These relaxed museum sessions offer the opportunity for your group to visit and engage with museum objects in a meaningful way with a member of the museum’s learning team, handle real museum objects, take part in practical activities, and enjoy tea, coffee and a chat. These workshops are dementia friendly and can be tailored to meet the needs of your group, and are available to book throughout the year in various different venues. To book please call 0141 276 9505 / 9506 or email museums.schoolbookings@glasgowlife.org.uk.
In addition, Glasgow Museums provide Open Museum Kits, which can be borrowed free of charge by community groups based in Glasgow. The kits work well with groups in healthcare or community settings and are great for starting conversations, inspiring reminiscence and oral history. If you would like to become a borrower, please contact OpenMuseumEnquiries@glasgowlife.org.uk. There are also a range of free digital resources available to enjoy.
If getting out to museums is difficult, the My House of Memories app brings objects and sound to your home. This app has pictures of objects from across the decades, which are brought to life with sound, music and descriptions and provide an easy-to-use way to help people living with dementia explore things that resonate with them.
Can’t find anything local to you? Arts4Dementia has a searchable database of dementia inclusive events across the UK, including events and resources to use at home. |
