Review of RYCTT project: Poland

The 2-day & 1-day training courses

• "Well prepared practical knowledge about reminiscence” Trainee

  Training was delivered by: Lidia Huber, Marta Marciniak, Anna Nowak, Jarosław Kamiński, all of whom work with people with dementia. Lidia is a lecturer who specialises in reminiscence therapy. There was also one volunteer, Joanna Kwiecińska, who helped with running these training courses and with all our activities.

• A wide range of people attended the training, for example students, social workers, teachers, volunteers, educators, carers.

• We delivered one two-day training course and three one-day courses and the total number of people trained was 80. At the completion of the training courses, each participant was given a certificate of participation.

• In running our workshops we cooperated with three universities in Poznań:
  Wyższa Szkoła Nauk Humanistycznych i Dziennikarstwa , Wyższa Szkoła Pedagogiki i Administracji and Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa „Kadry Dla Europy”

Highlights of the training:

• The second edition of reminiscence training "To rescue from oblivion” took place at the College of Social Workers (Kolegium Pracowników Służb Społecznych) in Poznan in March 2013, and 18 people attended this course.

• The participants could listen to the lectures about the development of reminiscence in Poland given by Ph.D. Lidia Huber.

• The importance of "Telling life stories” was presented by Ms Anna Nowak who is one of the coordinators of this project. The life history is important for professional care and therapeutic practice.

• The participants of the training attended the workshops that showed work with people suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

• There are four methods which we use to bring back memories of people with dementia:

  • Props (e.g. photos, things, CDs)

  • Important events (e.g. celebrations, family events, visited places)

  • Stimulating conversation (a person tells what memories the presented prop brings)

  • Imagination (e.g. “Imagine that there on the plate is your favourite dish from your childhood. What is it? Can you tell me?”)
    

The Apprenticeship

• The apprenticeship was held at Serene Autumn House, which is a day centre for the elderly, disabled and those with dementia, and also at universities in Poznań

• 14 apprentices participated in this project. Most were students of Pedagogy, Social work and Gerontology. Others were carers and social workers

• Apprentices had to support the families, help with planning the meetings, and prepare the environment for each session

• We held 13 sessions that involved families: 6 on movement and dance therapy, 5 on music therapy, 2 reminiscence meetings: at a picnic (see image to the right) and a café

• Assessment was based on practical work and an oral statement. The certification which confirms knowledge and abilities in the reminiscence method is in progress

Feedback from carers involved in the project

• "I was surprised that old people can remember such particular things. I realize how much I had forgotten"
  

  "I really liked the meetings about the music. After a long time, I found again my favorite songs, that I could listen to every morning. I realized, that each song refreshed my memories about people and situations.
  The most surprising thing is that I still have the same feeling about those times and situations. At one meeting, one of the group members presented a song that I had never heard before. From that time on, I listened to it very often, I feel I have gained a new memory with it"

• "It is a way to relieve suffering.” "
  

  "I don't like sadness and crying. Here it is completely different. We have fun, we have a lot of surprising, pleasant situations and activities"

• "I was surprised that old people can remember such particular things. I realize how much I had forgotten"

• "I was surprised by the warmth and open-ness of members of the meeting”

• "I want to spend more time with my relative. It lets me find a very special way of talking with that person. I understand more than before"

Image: ERN Partners who attended the ERN Conference in Poznań in October 2013. Photo taken at a Visit in Środa Wielkopolska (Koszuty, The Museum of Sredzki Region)

Future plans

• School of Pedagogy and Administration decided to include reminiscence as a method in procedure in educating departments of adult education on pedagogy, psychology of health and rehabilitation and social psychology, even incorporating it into emergency medical services

• Previous experiences of people engaged in creative reminiscence projects in Poland can contribute to developing standardised training and development of a Unique Training Scheme to certify at European Level and being able to share practices across countries and cultures

Further information about our work can be found at www.reminiscencepoland.eu

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