1940s-style room helps dementia patients recall the past
There are about 298,000 people in Australia who have dementia. For them, memory is transient, and something as special as a first kiss or childhood friend can be lost in the dark well of this heart-breaking condition. But doctors at an American care facility might have found the answer to recalling these lost memories.
A Pennsylvania practice, known as The Easton Home, have purpose-built a room which allow residents with dementia to almost literally step back into the past. The room is decorated in 1940s-style wallpaper, complete with a traditional fireplace, early model television and grandfather clock.
The purpose of the room is to stimulate memories. “The benefits of reminiscence therapy is that it taps into memories that are well-learned,” Dr Jason Karlawish, Co-Director of the Penn Memory Center told The Associated Press. It helps residence recall old memories, such as those attached to a smell or music.
And it’s clear that residents love it. “It just takes them back to a place that they’re familiar with,” says Jennifer Woolley of the Easton House. “They can talk about their stories and share their experiences.”
Harry Lomping, whose partner has Alzheimer’s disease, explains that it allows him to relive moments that he wouldn’t otherwise be able to; it feels real.
“I think it revives something, some feelings. It seems to, anyhow,” he says in a video by The Associated Press.
Admittedly, doctors say that the old-style room won’t change the course of the disease for residents, but it can have a positive impact on behaviour and mood. But if it allows those with dementia to grasp precious memories, even for a fleeting moment, then really, that’s all that counts.