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Our museum team helped residents with dementia relive memories of days gone by and VE day.
The team from Epping Forest District Museum loaned Epping’s Barchester Ashlar House Care Home 2 memory boxes containing memorabilia from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s – things like board games and newspapers.
Memory boxes
Despite current restrictions, the museum was able to lend the boxes for activities around International Museums Day and VE day. The team risk assessed the boxes around contamination with COVID-19 before delivering the boxes. They were then sanitised by the care home before being placed in quarantine back at the museum.
Fun, tactile and rewarding
Rita Green, the home’s lifestyle activities co-ordinator said:
Our residents discussed their memories of similar items and compared these to those kept in their rooms and throughout the home. Some of the items were perfect for the VE.
Day celebrations with residents fascinated by the first edition newspapers from the day. It was a fun, tactile and rewarding day.
Photos
A little imagination and lots of care
Cllr Holly Whitbread, Cabinet Member for Housing and Community said:
It’s lovely that our museum was able to help some of our older residents engage with a real hands-on history experience even within the current restrictions.
It shows that with a little imagination and lots of care it is still possible to work safely and positively with our community.
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