Tagged / BUDI; dementia

BU Dementia paper published today

Today the international sociology journal Sociological Research Online (SAGE) published the paper  ‘Dementia as Zeitgeist: Social Problem Construction and the Role of a Contemporary Distraction’  [1].  Using notions of social problem construction and sociologies of legitimacy, this article explores dementia as Zeitgeist that has captured imaginations but as such is contingent and therefore precarious building an edifice that may be limited and may occlude dangers for people living with dementia.  This paper is written by two BU academics: Prof. Jonathan Parker (Department of Social Sciences & Social Work) and Dr. Vanessa Heaslip (Department of Nursing Science) and former one BU staff  member Dr. Clare Cutler .  Clare is now at the Wessex Institute for Health Research & Development.

 

Congratulations

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

BUDI Carers’ Forum 2015

On 9 September, we held our fourth annual Carers’ Forum. Our Carers’ Forum provides an opportunity to hear from local people who are caring for people with dementia on what matters most to them. We were also delighted to welcome Vivien Zarucki, Independent Financial Advisor, as our guest speaker who discussed the financial aspects of caring for someone living with dementia. Alison Adams, Information Worker from the Alzheimer’s Society, was also on hand to provide attendees with details about local support for people affected by dementia.

Carers' forum 2015v2

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a parallel session, people with dementia participated in a range of activities (including using technology such as IPads), and talked to the team about what it’s like living with dementia locally.

Feedback following the event suggests that attendees welcomed the opportunity to share their views and experiences:

  • “Thank you so much for the whole experience. Once again we are very blessed with the care and encouragement we receive”.
  • “Many thanks to all that helped arrange the day, the person we care for enjoy meeting others who are in the same situation as themselves”.
  • “It was good to exchange ideas. People always know something you don’t”.

These views and experiences will enable us to focus our research, education and consultancy services around the issues that matter most to people who are affected by dementia.

BUDI brings dementia awareness to life

On Monday 13th July 2015, BUDI welcomed more than 50 members of the public at their annual Festival of Learning event. The event was opened by the BUDI Orchestra (formed of people affected by dementia and musicians) with an energetic and fun performance that included a rendition of the Peter Gunn theme by the Blues Brothers (complete with trademark sunglasses) and the Jaws theme tune.

Photo orchestra

Attendees were able to participate in a number of hands on activities, from sharing their thoughts on what makes a garden dementia-friendly, to discussing what they are passionate about in the dementia field with members of the BUDI team in speaker’s corner.

Poet Jonny Fluffypunk closed the event by reading out a poem that he created from sentences that attendees had written throughout the event about dementia. The poem entitled ‘A New Beginning’ is too good not to share……

Photo Jonny

A New Beginning

Dementia is…
a misunderstood and badly defined term
a term people are labelled with;
a term that restricts their freedom.
Restricts their choices.
Restricts their self.

Dementia is an illness often observed,
an illness that splits families

It is thinking scattered thoughts of yesterday
that muddle your tomorrow

It is trying to remember the past
and not the present

Dementia is my nuisance;
It is me needing the support
of my wife and family
It is knowing your face so well
but your name escaping me

Dementia is living in a world that makes no sense;
it is remembering tastes from the past;
it is the problem of making decisions
it is feeling your way in the world
and not being able to put it in words

But sometimes…
Sometimes I think
we were all born with dementia;
as a tiny child I could remember nothing
and now I am old I find nothing has changed

And dementia is an interesting way
to relive my life; an unknown journey
a unique experience for patient and carer

Dementia is protecting and helping your husband
as he makes this journey

It is brilliant but fleeting perfect memories

It is a chance to grow

It is a chance to engage creatively

It is a chance to reach a new humanity

Dementia is learning not to give up:
I was thrown out of church choir age 7
and now at 77 I play violin with BUDI

Dementia is learning that music is a wonderful thing
That it makes you happy and sad-
long live music and song!

Dementia is emotional-
how I wish I could love in the way
I have seen love shared here today

Dementia is partnership,
it is learning to change life
with the one you love

Dementia can bring you together
with the most wonderful people

Dementia is just a different journey

Dementia is personal and shared

Dementia is not the end; it can be a new beginning

Dementia is not the end.

BUDI Orchestrat – a FIF CCCP project report

At the beginning of 2014 BUDI was lucky enough to secure FIF CCCP funding to set up the BUDI orchestra, a partnership project with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra supported by BU Music Scholars and other students. I blogged about this during the rehearsal period and after the performance at the Festival of Learning, but as the project officially comes to an end as we write our final report I am blogging a final time to give a little update. First we won a poster prize two weeks ago at the 7th International Rural Dementia Summit running concurrently with the 7th Safety and Health in Agriculture and Rural Health Populations conference in Saskatchewan, Canada and Canadian colleagues are now interested in setting up their version of the BUDI orchestra in two provinces. We also secured some further funds to extend the project and are currently rehearsing for an informal Christmas performance that will take place in the Atrium/Starbucks on 12 December, do stop and listen as you enjoy your coffee! If any member of staff/student would like to join us as we rehearse, particularly anyone with a strong singing voice do get in touch with Laura (lreynolds@bournemouth.ac.uk)who can give you more information about our rehearsal schedule, as we are missing our BU Music Scholars this time round who led the singing part of the rehearsals so well in the initial project. We also secured funding from the Dorset Legacy Fund to begin a new orchestra project and this will commence in January 2015. We have submitted a larger grant application to conduct a multi-site study but we have a few months to go before we will hear if we are successful or not. We have received extremely positive feedback from our participants, students and BSO colleagues who have been part of the initial and ongoing project extension and the idea has been favourably met at regional and international conferences where we have shown the video we created documenting the project. The BU FIF provides an excellent opportunity to conduct pilot/proof of concept work and we are grateful for the funds received enabling us to undertake this work which has been the most fun project I’ve been involved with to date.