Sport is playing an important
role in helping people who are
living with dementia.
Alzheimer Scotland have pioneered an innovative programme
which uses images and memorabilia of sport to improve recall,
boost morale and self-confidence and help people reconnect
with the sport they loved and still do. The initiative started in 2010
at a national level and there are now over 90 groups across the
country. There has also been interest in the work from Europe and
America.
The focus of the original programme was football reminiscence
and some of the results were truly inspiring. People told stories
in the groups which had never been heard before and they
added something special and personal to the existing accounts
of matches and players. The Alzheimer Scotland Reminiscence
Network produces materials and resources to help people who
have a diagnosis of dementia with a therapeutic intervention
based on their own personal sporting interests.
Football Memories uses images and memorabilia from the
period from the end of 1945 to 1980 to aid recall and memory
of great games, players and occasions. Some of the recall can
be spectacular and many of the stories which emerge from the
groups are not to be found in traditional club historical accounts.
Group members are helped to produce a Football Memories
Book, which include personal stories of their family and football
experiences. The groups chose a team name and team colour
and are members of the Football Memories League. The Football
Memories project is a joint venture between Alzheimer Scotland
and the Scottish Football Museum.
UEFA funding has enabled an expansion of the
programme in Scotland and 13 more clubs
are taking part from August 2015.
Rugby Memories follows a similar
pattern to Football Memories
and is usually based around
a specific Rugby
Club.
Images of national and
international players and
matches are provided
for the volunteerled groups and
this material is
supplemented
by
clubspecific archive
materials from
members and
former players.
An NHS team,
All Black and
Blue, are playing
a charity match
against
Police
Scotland in Ayr to
raise funds for Rugby
Memories.
Shinty Memories is
again based around
a specific Shinty
Club and club
historians and
archivists will
be able to
add specific
i m a g e s