CULTURAL CHANGE FOR DEMENTIA
Museums to make a difference in challenge on dementia
EMBARGOED UNTIL 0001 WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER
National Museums Liverpool is launching a pioneering project aimed at making a real difference to people living with dementia, their carers and families.
In line with the National Dementia Strategy and the Prime Minister's subsequent Challenge on Dementia 2012, National Museums Liverpool has developed the House of Memories project, which offers unique and innovating training to help people living with the condition.
You are invited to send a reporter, photographer or camera crew to the Museum of Liverpool on Wednesday 24 October for interview opportunities at 12:30pm and a chance to experience the training at 1:15pm. Available for interview:
- Course participants
- Carol Rogers, Executive Director of Education and Communities
With three years' worth of funding support from Liverpool Primary Care Trust’s dallas project, House of Memories gives people in Merseyside working in sectors supporting those living with dementia, the opportunity to take part in practical and interactive training in a museum setting.
Carol Rogers, Executive Director of Education and Communities at National Museums Liverpool said: “It's estimated that more than 800,000 people are currently living with dementia in the UK, and 550,000 people are acting as primary carers. More action is needed nationally to understand how we can support people living with dementia.
“National Museums Liverpool has over a decade of experience working with older people and has taken up the Prime Minster’s Challenge, and it's working.”
With its world class collections providing the basis for training, the popular Museum of Liverpool on the city’s waterfront will represent a 'House of Memories'.
Using a setting in the heart of the community, House of Memories offers a tool kit to carers, which is based on the fantastic objects, archives and stories at the Museum of Liverpool. The training gives carers the skills to inform their practice and the resources to carry out memory activities in work settings, and improve the quality of life for the people living with dementia.
Professor Phil Redmond CBE, Chairman of National Museums Liverpool said: “House of Memories shows the value of the cultural sector working effectively with the health and social care sector to tackle society's understanding of dementia. It's an opportunity to get people thinking differently, and by understanding the benefits of cultural engagement, people can use art and culture to improve both their work and the lives of those living with dementia.”
National Museums Liverpool piloted the scheme earlier this year with the local dementia community and more than 1,200 health and social carers took part. An independent evaluation of the project revealed it had a profound impact on participants, increasing their awareness and understanding of dementia and helping them to understand those living with the condition.
Those who took part were encouraged to explore the collections of the Museum of Liverpool and to learn how to positively engage and communicate with people living with dementia, by using objects and memorabilia from the Museum, which were relevant to people's personal histories.
Lorraine Weaver, Manager of Hinderton Mount Residential Home in Neston said: “My staff are completely different following this training. The way we go about our work caring for residents living with dementia is transformed. House of Memories really struck a chord that left us thinking about it for weeks. We’re still thinking about it now, months on.”
The training, which will now continue, is practical and interactive, partnering with AFTA Thought training consultants who use drama to present factual information about dementia and help participants to understand the experience of living with dementia, being a family carer or care worker. The Museum has also developed memory box and memory walk sessions to help participants integrate the training and new resources into their day to day interactions with people living with dementia.
Andy Hull, Director of Stakeholder Engagement at Liverpool Primary Care Trust said: “We know that the programme is giving real, practical help to so many families affected by dementia and are proud of our great partnership with National Museums Liverpool. We wholeheartedly support the continuation of the fantastic training that the House of Memories project provides.”
For further information on House of Memories and course dates please email learning@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk or call 0151 478 4240.
www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/houseofmemories - including video
Contact Lucy Cattell - Media Officer
e lucy.cattell@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk t 0151 478 4615 f 0151 478 4777
National MuseumsLiverpool,127 Dale Street,LiverpoolL2 2JH
w liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
Notes to editors
The Museum of Liverpool is the largest newly-built national museum in Britain for more than a century, demonstrating Liverpool’s unique contribution to the world. It is the first national museum devoted to the history of a regional city.
The Museum of Liverpool has received generous support from several major funders, along with grants from trusts and foundations, corporate support and individual donations. Major funders include the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS).
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) was responsible for the sustainable economic development and regeneration of England’s Northwest and had five key priorities: Business, Skills and Education, People and Jobs, Infrastructure and Quality of Life.
The European Development Fund (ERDF) is making a real difference to people and businesses in the North West. With €755 million to invest between 2007 and 2013, ERDF is enhancing the competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting growth in enterprise and employment. ERDF in the North West is managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government – for further information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf.
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported more than 30,000 projects allocating £4.5billion across the UK. www.hlf.org.uk
About National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool comprises eight venues. Our collections are among the most important and varied in Europe and contain everything from Impressionist paintings and rare beetles to a lifejacket from the Titanic. We attract more than 3 million visitors every year. Our venues are the Museum of Liverpool, World Museum, the Walker Art Gallery, Merseyside Maritime Museum, International Slavery Museum, UK Border Agency National Museum, Sudley House and the Lady Lever Art Gallery.
dallas (delivering assisted living lifestyles at scale) is a national programme aimed at:
transforming the lives of people by developing and using innovative technology products, systems and services to improve well-being and increase independence;positioning “UKplc.” as the world leader in tele-care and tele-health products
The dallas programme (delivering assisted living lifestyles at scale) is exploring ways of using innovative products, systems and services to create more independent lifestyles and will help hundreds of thousands of people by summer 2015. dallas has tasked four consortia with running this programme with communities throughout the UK. The consortia have been awarded £25 million of government money, to which they’ve added their own financial contributions. The programme has been developed by the UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board and joint funded by the National Institute for Health Research and the Scottish Government. For further information on the Technology Strategy Board and dallas programme, visit www.innovateuk.org and www.connect.innovateuk.org
The Technology Strategy Board is the UK’s innovation agency. Its goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy www.innovateuk.org