Forget-Me-Not Productions recently took patients on Ward East 18 at University Hospital Llandough on a trip down the 1940s memory lane on a whirlwind reminiscence journey to help evoke memories of times gone by.
Staff on Ward East 18 mainly care for male and female patients over the age of 65 with varying stages of dementia. Refocusing nurse, Katherine Martinson and her team, help to co-ordinate patient activities and play an important role in maintaining a therapeutic environment for patients.
Many of the patient activities that take place on the ward focus on music from earlier decades that patients are familiar with. Staff really notice a positive reaction in the patients whilst engaging them in group musical activities.
Reminiscence therapy is used to engage all the senses; sight, touch, taste, smell and sound. This helps individuals at varying stages with dementia to remember events, people and places from their younger years.
The Forget-Me-Not Production team are pioneers in inclusive arts, disability and assistive technology; specialising in working with people with special education needs including complex physical and cognitive disabilities; using assistive technologies to make the arts accessible for all.
The theme of the performance was the 1940s, and the two performers took the patients through a whirlwind reminiscence journey of that era. The production was full of songs which the patients and their families absolutely loved and joined in with, even getting involved in the show.
Projects such as this, which bring joy and entertainment into the wards at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board are made possible with funding from Cardiff & Vale Health Charity’s Staff Lottery fund.
If you would like to join the Staff Lottery, or if you would like more information about how you can help Cardiff & Vale Health Charity, please contact the Fundraising Team on 029 2184 1802 or email fundraising.cav@wales.nhs.uk