Football Reminiscence, Alzheimer Scotland

Overview
For a number of years, certain groups have been using football as a medium to engage with men who have been diagnosed with dementia. With the intent of giving some structure to these projects, the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park applied successfully to the Heritage Lottery for £25,000 for a pilot project. They worked with groups in Prestwick, Aberdeen, Falkirk and Edinburgh (Hibernian Football Club) which were already engaged in this work. The project ran for six months with visits to the museum and in the settings where the men lived - using memorabilia, old kit, photographs and old programmes to stimulate discussion. Each of the men created something to keep - perhaps a scrapbook or a folder.

Evaluation
The project was evaluated by Glasgow Caledonian University with the findings being that the experience had had a dramatic beneficial effect. Alzheimer Scotland, impressed by its impact, offered the Scottish Football Museum a further £25,000 to develop it further. They are now working to develop a simple model which will be readily transferable and locally sustainable.

New Pilot
The initial pilot for this new phase will be in Edinburgh. 15-20 volunteers are being recruited in the age-range  18 to 60 years old and include two women. The initial training will take place at the Scottish Football Museum and includes a tour of Hampden Park and the museum, information about the pilot phase and use of materials, and input on dementia awareness, reminiscence work and the role of the volunteer.
Volunteers will be matched on a one-to-one or one-to-two basis with someone living in a care home or in day-care. They will work together in imaginative ways to create something which is a unique expression of each person's own football-related reminiscences. The volunteers will also take the men to visit places meaningful to them, and will help them to capture these in photographs as part of their portfolio. Throughout the project the volunteers will receive regular support, both individually and as a group. There is a possibility that, over time, small groups will evolve.

Key Partners
The engagement of enthusiastic football historians is critical. The project manager is also working with a number of other partners, including the Lothian Early Onset Support Service. He is also developing working partnerships with Scottish Care, BUPA, local authorities and the private sector. A fund-raising event with Hibernian Football Club has provided resources to pay for someone who will support the volunteers. Once the project in Edinburgh is up and running, it will fan out across Scotland. There is already interest in Motherwell, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Perth, Kilmarnock and Glasgow. A website to be developed by the Scottish Football Museum will have free access for the volunteers. Heritage Lottery funding for an additional member of staff with links to this project is also in the pipeline. It is hoped that further funding to enable Glasgow Caledonian University to undertake an in-depth evaluation will be forthcoming.

Strategic considerations
The project ties in well with the Scottish Government's recently published National Dementia Strategy, with its emphasis on personalisation, rights and dignity. The key role of football historians who are passionate about their subject, is critical. The pack which participants produce is theirs and could potentially be a very useful resource for staff working with them. For the people with dementia, they receive the full attention of someone who provides a consistent presence. Not only does the football theme stimulate memories and communication, but it also will link to other related memories. Families and carers are afforded glimpses of the person that they may have lost to varying degrees. This gives them a huge boost in their caring tasks and day-to-day responsibilities. For staff in services, the project will provide an extra service which makes no demand on finances or time, and which will produce a resource able to be used over and over again.

Volunteers gains and challenges
The volunteers are being offered the opportunity to take part in an exciting new and very creative venture. They will also benefit from learning more about dementia, and this, for some of the younger volunteers in particular, may lead to a career in a related service. The learning from this is about different and creative ways of engaging with people in the early stages of developing dementia and about its impact. There will also be learning about the importance of partnership working in this field, both nationally and locally. It remains a challenge for organisations to work together constructively across organisational boundaries. Timing will also present challenges and demands on museum staff will need to be managed. Recruiting volunteers has not proved difficult, because of the football theme although more women recruits would be useful. Finally, in order for the project to become locally sustainable, it will be important to find the right people who will take on ultimate responsibility, although Alzheimer Scotland will continue to undertake recruiting and training of volunteers.

Interest has already been expressed in developing similar programmes based on arts activities, transport and so on. A football historian noted,' When I put the programmes on the table, the staff almost had to hold the men back; there was a sudden burst of energy in the room.' and one of the men's wives said, ‘For a few hours my husband is just like he used to be.'

Email: Martin Rothero      Tel: 0131 2431459     Alzheimer Scotland, 22 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7RN         Alzheimer Website

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