How to organize a memory workshop in nursing homes?

Memory workshops are an important activity in Residential care homes for elderly because they help maintain or improve the cognitive abilities of residents. Memory workshops are a fun way to keep residents active and engaged while helping them maintain their mental health. In this article, we will discuss how to organize a memory workshop in a residential care home for elderly.

1) Determine the needs of the residents 

The first step in organizing a memory workshop is to understand the needs of the residents. Indeed, each resident has different cognitive abilities and needs. It is therefore important to discuss with the residents and their families to understand what they would like to see in the workshop. Additionally, it is important to consider the interests of the residents when planning the workshop. For example, if a resident enjoys music, you can incorporate songs into the workshop.

2) Choose a theme for the workshop 

Choosing a theme for the workshop is important as it provides direction for the workshop. Popular themes for memory workshops include childhood memories, historical events, travel, cooking recipes, etc. It is important to choose a theme that interests the residents and allows them to recall good memories.

3) Prepare the materials 

Once you have chosen the theme of the workshop, it is time to prepare the materials. You will need office supplies such as pencils, pens, and paper, as well as other supplies specific to the chosen theme. For example, if the theme is childhood memories, you might have childhood photos, retro toys, and other items that remind them of childhood.

4) Plan the activities 

It is important to plan the activities of the workshop to keep the residents engaged. Activities can include memory games, quizzes, puzzles, sing-alongs, etc. The activities should be tailored to the cognitive abilities of the residents and be fun to keep them engaged.

5) Encourage active participation 

It is important to encourage active participation from the residents during the workshop. This can be done by asking questions and encouraging residents to share their memories and experiences. Residents can also be encouraged to work together on activities to strengthen social bonds.

6) Take regular breaks 

It is important to take regular breaks during the workshop to allow residents to rest and recharge. Breaks can be used to offer snacks, drinks, and informal discussions. Breaks can also be used to allow residents to socialize and get to know each other.

7) Evaluate the workshop 

After the workshop, it is important to evaluate its success. You can do this by asking residents and staff members for their feedback on the workshop. You can also evaluate the workshop by observing the participation of residents and their level of engagement during the workshop. These evaluations can be used to improve future workshops and better meet the needs of the residents.

8) Involve the staff 

The staff of the residential care home for elderly should be involved in organizing and setting up the workshop. They can help with preparing materials, planning activities, and setting up the workshop. They can also help encourage residents to participate and maintain a friendly and stimulating environment.

10) Plan regular workshops

Finally, it is important to plan regular memory workshops to maintain the engagement of residents. Workshops can be scheduled weekly, monthly, or according to another calendar that suits the Nursing home. Residents can also be encouraged to organize their own workshops or participate in small group activities.

In conclusion, memory workshops are an important activity in Nursing homes to maintain or improve the cognitive abilities of residents. To organize a successful memory workshop, it is important to understand the needs of the residents, choose an appropriate theme, plan activities, encourage active participation, take regular breaks, evaluate the workshop, involve the staff, use technological tools, and plan regular workshops. Memory workshops are a fun way to keep residents active and engaged while maintaining their mental health.

It is also interesting to ask whether these workshops should be done together or alone. Indeed, some residents may feel more comfortable being alone, creating a duo workshop with the facilitator. This kind of workshop can be very beneficial for some seniors, but it is important to check beforehand who feels concerned by this situation. To learn more, feel free to consult our article below.

11) Involve families to enhance the effects of memory workshops

The involvement of relatives is often an underutilized lever in the context of memory workshops in Nursing homes. However, it can significantly improve residents’ motivation and promote their emotional well-being.

Why involve families?

• Strengthening emotional bonds: the presence of a relative during a workshop can provide a sense of security and comfort.

• Stimulating personal memories: families can bring anecdotes, objects, or photos that reactivate buried memories.

• Better personalization: relatives often know the resident’s interests better than the staff. They can thus suggest more relevant activities or themes.

How to concretely integrate families?

• Workshops open to relatives: organize a memory workshop once a month that families can attend or participate in.

• Request for personal contributions:

  • Family photos

  • Old objects (toys, tools, newspapers, books…)

  • Cooking recipes or memory notebooks

• Creation of a collaborative “life book”: families can help write a small booklet retracing the major milestones of the resident’s life. This will serve as support for the workshops.

• Organization of “memory cafés”: informal moments bringing together families, residents, and staff around a common memory theme (the music of the 60s, old professions, etc.).

Concrete examples of successful activities with families

• A “return to childhood” day: families bring objects or photos from the resident’s childhood to share with the group.

• Song workshop: a grandson plays the guitar while residents sing songs from the era.

• Intergenerational recipe workshop: grandchildren and grandparents cook together a dish from their native region.

The cognitive functions stimulated during memory workshops

Memory workshops are very useful for seniors. Thanks to these workshops, you can work on memory, attention, language, and peer relationships. Indeed, it is necessary to engage in activities that stimulate the brain, but also the emotional and relational aspects of elderly people.

The memory workshop is therefore the perfect solution. The memory workshop is conducted in small groups, which allows for exchange and discussion among peers. Additionally, by using the memories and experiences of seniors, they can be happy to share their lives and experiences.

Thanks to the benefits we just discussed, seniors are motivated to engage in activities. The activities are designed to stimulate the cognitive functions of seniors, starting from the more fragile cognitive functions:

The memory workshop in Nursing home

When a senior arrives in a Nursing home, they have vulnerabilities that can be physical or cognitive. The goal of caregivers is to slow down cognitive decline. For this reason, in Nursing homes, there are often activities organized with this objective, such as memory workshops.

In Nursing homes, it is important for a caregiver (animator, psychologist, etc.) to lead the workshop to help participants follow the activities and participate effectively. The memory workshop holds even more value within Nursing homes. Seniors may feel far from home or have difficulty discussing their personal experiences since they are away from their families. The workshop thus becomes a place where the person can talk about themselves, their life, and share something personal.

Moreover, in Nursing homes, seniors often have memory-related disorders, so it is important to stimulate their memories. For example, in the case of Alzheimer’s’s disease, the person may relive events from their past. In this case, images or sounds can help evoke memories. In Nursing homes, there may also be individuals suffering from Parkinson’s disease. In this case, the memory workshop can be useful for stimulating language and the manipulation of objects.

Supporting a person with Parkinson’s

Discover ready-to-use tools to organize memory workshops in Nursing homes

CLINT and SCARLETT, your memory coaches

Clint and Scarlett are two memory programs on tablet. Scarlett is the easiest version for seniors with significant vulnerabilities (Alzheimer’s’s, Parkinson’s, etc.). Clint is a more challenging version for adults or seniors at a preventive level. In these applications, you will find more than 30 games to stimulate cognitive functions. The games are adapted to the era of seniors, making them perfect for creating a memory workshop. The tablet screen can be projected onto a large screen, to adapt the activity for a group.

SCARLETT

A version for people with advanced Alzheimer’s’s