On 12 April 2016 LSG and ARA NW held a joint training session on reminiscence work and dementia awareness. It was run by Libby Lawrence who gave us plenty of practical advice on how to run a reminiscence session and how to use our resources.
Libby stressed that the most important thing to remember when we’re dealing with people with memory problems is that they may be in a different timespace and we have to accept their truth not try to force them into ours. We shouldn’t be afraid of people becoming upset as it may be helping them to express some buried emotion. It is most important to listen properly (and she described some of the ways of developing listening skills), to be non judgmental and genuine. The session included lots of practical tips on managing groups or one-to-one sessions.
It would be difficult to run a reminiscence session without training, not least because you need something like this to give you confidence, but there are many other ways that local studies collections can be vital. Libby suggested that sessions should be themed and that trigger items are needed. Our collections include plenty of trigger items such as old photographs and adverts, music or other sounds, newspapers etc. There should be a set of prompt questions with each item which may, or may not, be needed and our collections will be a source of information for these questions to be compiled. Libby stressed that trigger items should be multi-sensory so that people who can’t see can hear or smell, and there should be a chance to do something, even if it’s just stirring a cake mixture, as that can trigger memories for people who are less able to participate in a group. Many will be objects (easily available from car boot sales) but a local studies collection could provide useful information about objects which would help in compiling prompt questions.
For libraries who wish to get involved in reminiscence but don’t have the skills – or staff time – to run sessions creating a few themed boxes of trigger items and prompt questions might be a possibility. Libby was adamant that only a few items are needed per session.
Many care homes now try to provide Life Story Books for their residents so that their memories are validated and they can show other people. If they don’t have their own photographs and other material it may be possible to compile something from a local collection.
Libby recommended the book The Reminiscence Skills Training Handbook by Ann Rainbow (2003). The Age Exchange Reminiscence Centre at Blackheath can also advise and provide resources – http://www.age-exchange.org.uk
CILIP Local Studies Group 