The toddlers who took on Dementia

Psychologists from Bangor University, including Professor Bob Woods, emeritus professor at the Centre for Ageing and Dementia research, have been involved in a documentary looking at what happens when nursery children come together with people living with dementia.

The team worked closely with producers of the BBC Wales documentary ‘The Toddlers who Took on Dementia’ to create person-centred activities to engage both ages including cake-making, singing and exercise.

Patients at a day-care centre in Colwyn Bay spent three days with the young children on the planned activities to see if they could restore some of their memory loss. The aim was to tap in to the passions of the adults’ younger years and trigger memories.

The research is ongoing but Professor Woods said: “What we want to do is to change the environment, so that they can engage, they can interact without failure. And in that way we can draw on the rich vein of expertise and experience and knowledge that’s still there.”

On the difference the children had made he said: “They’ve given us all a new perspective, a new view on dementia. It’s really important to see the person behind the diagnosis.”

First published: @ResearchWales Issue 4, June 2018