Reminisce is key for residents at St Vincent’s

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Jul 07, 2017

A group of residents living with dementia at St Vincent’s have completed an art project designed to help them reminisce.

The team at St Vincent’s House on Queen Caroline Street has teamed up with Westminster Arts to take part in a pioneering arts programme developed for older people living with dementia.

Artist, Zoe Gilmour and Project Coordinator, Lucy Warren from the Resonate programme, brought a selection of beautiful items, collected from around the world throughout the 19th century, to show residents. The items including detailed enamel miniatures, elaborate micro-mosaic furniture, bejewelled snuffboxes, and gold and silver decorated cups were used to engage with residents one-to-one and encourage communication and reminiscence.

Another group of residents had the chance to make their own reminiscence boxes using the art collection as inspiration. The team at St Vincent’s House helped residents decorate the small keepsake boxes with paints and photographs of their past as they shared their fond memories.

Adeyemi Salawu, home manager at St Vincent’s commented: “At St Vincent’s House we are always looking for ways to engage with residents and encourage communication, especially for those who live with dementia. We are firm believers that arts and crafts are a great way to strengthen wellbeing and communication so when the Westminster Arts team approached us we jumped at the chance to take part. The residents have all responded positively to the art therapy and the group that took part in the craft sessions really enjoyed getting creative and making their own boxes to keep their precious items in.”