Last updated: 7/2009

to how we feel about ourselves and others?"

Re: Essential information for doing memory work.
From the desk of: Geraldine Jozefiak
The Craft Teacher

Life story work really can help others through life experiences and challenges.
Yet why is it that some life story sessions work better than others, despite all your
efforts?
If you were to tell me the most difficult problem facing you in your work, which
of the following would you choose?

I'm new to running memory sessions and grateful for some ideas on things that work, written by someone who's done it
As a practised reminiscence worker I've made story books before but am
always interested in new ideas and ways of working

I want to run a project at school and need some practical background material
to help me plan some activities
I'm looking for information about working with memories and some craft projects that are easy to follow
I've never done a project like this before and I don't know where to start
I run reminiscence sessions, and I need ideas on what to do with all the shared stories
I want to create some books with one of my groups and I'm not creative

I'm sure there will be others too. Finding solutions isn't always easy.

There are many reminiscence books, magazines and activity packs that might just
work. But ...

where do you find practical life story project ideas together with suggestions on how to encourage
sharing, note taking and creativity?

Sometimes you find all these things, but is it in down-to-earth language and
in a book that won't close-up when you put it down? And is it set in a tiny,
too small to read 'font'?
What you need in challenging moments is knowing that you can easily
read the material without the aid of a magnifying glass!

Let me tell you how I came to be involved in memory work.

Over the course of a year, I trained volunteers in Life Story Work. Following their
training, the volunteers were placed with families who cared for a dementia sufferer
in their own home.

It was a new and exciting project; the first of its kind in England at the time (1999).
Based in Norwich, Norfolk, UK it was called The Pabulum Project, (latin: mental
nourishment). The project gave me first hand experience of volunteers, training,
dementia and life story work.

It encouraged me to find ways to help sometimes uncreative people to work
towards something unique that could be shared by others.
Note: (The Project's story was written up for my Bachelor of Arts dissertation that followed, gaining
me a 1st Class Honours degree in Post Compulsory Education).

The project offered reminiscence training in creative memory work It was hoped
that this knowledge would help volunteers to work with the dementia sufferers to
encourage the sharing of memories.

These stories were then, in agreement, re-created in words, sentences, pictures,
paper and pen. They were then made into a variety of books, loose-leaf papers,
portfolios and albums. The choice of materials used was left to individuals.
The craft workshops that were an important part of the training and gave the
volunteers some ideas in how to make a book for those they worked with. Some
had no experience, or interest in creative activities yet were happy to help
individuals and families to put their stories onto paper.

As Dementia generally has a 7 year lifespan, it is likely that some of this period may
well be spent in care, and amongst unfamiliar people.
The purpose of the project was to help our volunteers to work with
those with dementia to commit shared stories to paper,
whilst memories could still be verbally shared

The life story approaches that became the Pabulum Project helped us to:
Reduce the need for medication
Raise interest in surroundings
Keep individuals more alert and interested
Provide a talking point
Help family members to get closer to loved ones
Recreate often lost memories for wider appreciation
Turn difficult 'remembering/talking' into a visual experience
Cut down the stress on continued remembering
Enable others to share stories and experiences
Provide a visual trigger for further reminiscence work

It was obvious that the project had wider value
and the challenge was to create a book that
would help others to get similar results.

As the Creative Activity Trainer with the programme I decided to turn this knowledge
and experience into an A4 book - " Working with memories" . Based on our
successful practices, the book contains the following sections:
Notes
The visual part
Creative writing
Practical projects
Album ideas

Click here for a Contents list.

Background information on why to do memory work is a
valuable part of the book.

It's important that we understand something of the background to memory work
before trying to encourage the sharing of stories. There's a useful introduction
on the historical context at the beginning that ''sets the scene' for your future work.
Imagine having practical ideas on how to use materials, what to record, and how to
begin sharing stories.

And what about having 10 different types of life-story books that you could use as a
starting point - covers and albums that you adapt to suit different individuals and their
interests.

How would that help you with your memory work?

Take a look at the Folio life story craft project here. - Just one of 10 practical 'book'
projects that you can use to help you record those visual memories.

When working with vulnerable people it's important to understand the hows and whys
of developing personal qualities, as much as 'doing' practical exercises.
Beginning to establish rapport and appreciating the importance of talking, helps us
to create the a trusting environment.
The visual part of Working with Memories gives you ideas on using memory tools
and materials, basic page layout ideas and essentials for beginning. There's a full
section of what you might include in your pages, and tip on some basic journalling
techniques borrowed from Scrapbooking.
I've also included a number of Creative writing exercises. This section looks at a
range of activities to encourage the senses: drawing projects, poetry and the value
of art and picture triggers in life story work.
Every session leads towards the creation of a personal story book - helping others to share memories before it's too late,
or the memory is lost.
Working with memories encourages you to develop personal approaches to your
work. This will help you to create truly original and personal story books that
celebrate individual experience.
Having 10 step-by-step projects alone is worth ?30. Add on 2 years research time,
15 years of teaching experience, the cost of training and teaching qualifications and
you begin to see how the price of such of book might be ?100 plus.

But it's not! For less than the price of 1 hour of a qualified teacher's time you get 5
sections of condensed reminiscence experience that can save you many hours of
planning and preparation.

At ?29.95, this book will help you to run one-to-one and group reminiscence
sessions, and to begin the process of turning stories into a permanent, sharable
document.

You decide how to turn them onto the page, once you've developed trust and respect
with the story-teller.
Order your copy now and begin planning your creative memory sessions.
I'll also send you the following bonus Craft Teacher goodies:
Bonus #1: Double page activity project: Giftwrap Frame

Bonus #2 Double page activity project: Stencilled Album

You can't lose with my 100%,
money-back guarantee

Each and every Craft Teacher purchase comes with a 100%, no-questions-asked,
money-back guarantee. I want to be sure that you like what you get and that it
doesn¡¯t disappoint you.

If for any reason it fails to live up to your expectation, just contact me within 56 days
(8 weeks) of purchase and I'll refund you your money. So your purchase is risk free.

I'm confident that you'll find "Working with Memories" an invaluable help in planning
your life story and reminiscence programme. However, if you feel it doesn't then I¡¯ll
be