Archive film project shows dementia benefits

People living with dementia are set to take a trip down memory lane via a new scheme which uses home movies from days gone by to promote their wellbeing.

Researchers from Age UK have teamed up with the Alzheimer's Society, the Methodist Homes for the Aged (MHA) and charity Yorkshire Film Archive (YFA) to launch the Memory Bank project. The study was set up after 18 months of research.

Through the initiative, people living with dementia and other types of memory-linked disorders are shown specially selected films from people's home movie collections which have been stored by the YFA. Some of the topics in the films include family holidays, life at work and learning at school.

Showing archive footage stimulates discussions about life when the users were younger, ranging from fashion faux pas in the 60s to getting free milk at school, according to the people behind the project.

A participant in the trial said: 'It's like the years peeling back - the memories are all still there, it just needs a trigger.'

Sue Howard, YFA director, said: 'Memory Bank is about opening up our collections to a huge range of older people, many of whom face a number of age-related challenges, and who often have very few opportunities to see and enjoy films such as these.

'Reminiscence therapy and memory work play an invaluable role in improving a sense of personal identity and wellbeing, and stimulating communication and sociability.'

Copyright Press Association 2012