February 2012

Lady looking through memorabilia jpeg
Project worker Kate Thompson with some memorabilia that records the lives of Maryborough residents with dementia.

Memories are made of this

A Maryborough District Health Service (MDHS) project helps local residents with dementia reconnect with their past by reminiscing about significant life events and collecting meaningful memorabilia.

Project worker Kate Thompson has been appointed under a Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing dementia community support program grant to train volunteers to record residents’ life stories.

‘It’s important people with dementia are recognised and remembered by their family and carers as the people they were, the lives they led and for their experiences and wisdom,’ Ms Thompson said.

The volunteers, working alongside the clients, will build a history that will reflect the personality and life of the residents.

This will be represented through a number of different mediums – memory boxes containing favourite items, favourite music CDs, photo albums and written stories.

‘I am confident the project will demonstrate an improvement in the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers,’ Ms Thompson said.