According to Parkinson’s UK, 50% of people with Parkinson’s develop dementia within 8 years of being diagnosed. Their research shows that 80% of patients who have had Parkinson’s for 20 years or more will have developed dementia.
The result can be a loss of confidence and increasing isolation.
This fact from Parkinson's UK was the reason that Phil Beckett set up this project. If after reading this, you would like to place your name on a list, to take part in a future session if they become available, please contact Phil on 01484 713035 for further information.
Open to anybody with Parkinson's but the project is aimed, particularly, at people living with Parkinson’s and who are suffering from mild dementia.
Dementia is defined here as some memory loss, slowness of thought and a general reduction in mental capacity.
Phil and volunteers will provide support and assist participants to recall their memories and trigger recollections, through stimulants such as:
Phil and his team also help participants to make voice recordings, if they wish, of their memories, so they can take a CD, or a similar form of storage, to keep and share with their families and friends.
Participants might like to leave the recordings with younger family members as a record of their lives or experiences. Some participants might want to produce written accounts of their memories, or complete a document to leave for their families, answering questions to trigger memories, but often these will just be a starting point, with memories coming tumbling out, especially when they hear others speaking about their recollections.
If participants are willing, they could be radio show guests to talk about the past or some of the recorded memories could be edited to be broadcast and reach and benefit a wider audience. If desired participants could remain anonymous, or elect not to be part of any such radio show. This would be for each individual to decide, there would be no pressure to do so.