Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today
Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) – Hyderabad Deccan and Lamakaan is organizing “Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today” – A Half-Day Workshop on Reminiscence Therapy by internationally renowned expert, Mrs. Pamela Schweitzer, Director European Reminiscence Network, on October 3, Sunday, 9:30 AM – 1 PM, at Lamakaan.
Reminiscence refers to recollections of memories from the past. As a therapy is gives the elderly person a sense of value, importance, belonging, power and peace. Reminiscence activity is used frequently in our own lives to cope with stress, injury to our self image, to create a feeling of intimacy and give special meaning to contact time with others.
Pam Schweitzer has spent the last 30 years developing reminiscence work in the UK and across Europe. She founded Age Exchange Theatre Trust in 1983, and was its Artistic Director for 23 years, creating 30 original reminiscence theatre productions. She opened the first Reminiscence Centre in London in 1987 as a centre for creative reminiscence projects and professional training courses, and in 1993, she established the European Reminiscence Network. For the Network, she has co-ordinated international festivals and conferences and initiated collaborative action research projects. In 2000, Pam was awarded the MBE for services to reminiscence.
Pam Schweitzer is currently a consultant and freelance practitioner in the fields of arts and older people, communication in dementia care, inter-cultural work and international co-operation on creative projects. Pam is an Honorary Research Fellow at Greenwich University. Further information on reminiscence can be found at : Www.pamschweitzer.com and Www.europeanreminiscencenetwork.org
The workshop schedule is as follows:- A PowerPoint presentation on reminiscence with special reference to reminiscence in dementia care
- A DVD showing reminiscence sessions in action in London with families living with dementia
- An introduction to training/supporting carers (especially family carers) in using reminiscence at home and a few sample exercises for those attending to try (if necessary from the seats where they are sitting) and to discuss afterwards
- A short presentation from Mr. Kurt Schweitzer who has been a volunteer on this reminiscence in dementia care project since the beginning
- An explanation of the Memory Boxes approach with two very short DVDs showing the project in process and some of the results
- Question and answer session
