Creative Horizons Cumbria, providing Project Management, Consultancy and Training in the design, development and delivery of Creative Reminiscence.

What is Creative Reminiscence?

Creative reminiscence is a way of using items from the past (objects, photographs, ephemera and even nostalgic songs) creatively to trigger memories.  It uses the past creatively to enhance and engage with the present through:

• Creative Reminiscence Projects based around themed reminiscence activities (music, movement and song; poetry; dramatising memories; art and craft)
• Life Story  work, producing individual life story books
• Memory Boxes, producing themed and personalised memory boxes
• Oral Histories, recording personal memories through themed oral history projects.

Benefits of Creative Reminiscence

Everyone enjoys reminiscing and using reminiscence creatively provides the opportunity for imaginative creative expression in a fun and enjoyable way that enriches lives and creates feelings of well-being.  The benefits include:

• Social interaction with others
• Enhanced  sense of identity and belonging
• Increased self worth and self-esteem
• Enriched relationship between the carer and elderly person.

Creative Horizons Cumbria provides endless opportunities for the elderly, and the young through intergenerational work, to enjoy and engage in creative reminiscence activities.

Comments from Carers and Clients

“I have been painting at home as a result of the sessions.  I haven’t brought my paints out for years.”

“I enjoyed the seaside movements and reminiscing about the seaside.”

“Fantastic words in poems that I would never have thought possible for someone with dementia.”

 “Morale booster for me, more confident, more motivated, boost to my self-esteem.  I’m proud of what we have achieved, the service users are proud of themselves, their families are amazed.”

Sharing Best Practice

Creative Horizons Cumbria has a philosophy of sharing best practice and disseminates this through: 

• Creative Reminiscence and Oral History training
• Creative Reminiscence events
• The Cumbria Reminiscence Network
• Local, regional and national networks and events.

Images of past projects courtesy of Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery Trust, Carlisle