Tailored storytelling sessions help people with dementia interact

An Edinburgh day centre is hosting tailored storytelling sessions for people with dementia to help stimulate their minds and socialise with others.

Canalside Day Centre, run by Bield, Scotland’s leading housing and care provider, has teamed up with the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s Life Stories Group to provide the events.

The professional storytellers visit the centre and tell short, funny tales to people with dementia to try to help make them more alert and improve their interaction with others.

Care assistant Jim Willis organised the sessions. He said: “The feedback we have got from the sessions so far is fantastic and the understanding of dementia has improved a lot.

“I’ve been working with the storytellers to try and make the group more suited to people with dementia and highlight the additional skills needed to interact with older people who have the condition.

“We have now started to read shorter, funnier, anecdotal stories which engage the whole group in a much more effective way. We found that before it was difficult to read long stories, which could often be complicated in detail, whilst keeping the attention and focus of everyone in the group.

“For people with dementia, storytelling can be therapeutic. It gives people who don’t communicate well a chance to communicate.

“We also now encourage interaction during sessions so anyone can tell their own stories and remember their past, which is a great way to stimulate their minds.

“Hopefully this is something we will see happen in other Bield care services across Scotland as it is a fantastic way of helping people with dementia stay alert and socialise with other people.”

Bield chief executive Brian Logan said: “The new tailored sessions are really rewarding as it allows everyone who uses the centre to get involved and benefit fully from sessions.

“As Scotland’s leading provider of houses, care and community services for older people, we ensure that quality care that will enhance and enrich people’s lives is being delivered at all times. Tailored groups such as the storytelling sessions allow everyone to socialise together and make the most of the service we provide.

“Bield is dedicated to its ‘Free to Be’ commitment, meaning all of our service users and residents are free to make their own decisions and choices but we are still here to support and help them whenever needed.

“Activities such as the storytelling group help bring service users closer together and increase overall activity, something which is especially beneficial for people who have dementia.”