Creative Reminiscence Celebration at Wilson House Day Centre

Paintings which were completed by clients who attended Wilson House Day Centre in Broughshane will be on display at an exhibition in the centre on 10 October from 1.30pm – 2.30pm. The paintings were created as part of a project called ‘Sharing Memories, Building Communities’ which is an initiative funded by the Big Lottery.

The clients carried out a range of activities over a sixteen week period, including participants painting their favourite flower using silk paints, which they all thoroughly enjoyed. All of the clients were surprised by their ability to paint and the classes brought people together to engage in a communal activity, to reminisce and talk about the past while enjoying the opportunity to paint.

Yvonne Carson, Senior Health Improvement Officer in the Northern Trust said: “The Project aims to address the needs and issues affecting older people with disabilities including social isolation, loneliness, depression, low self-esteem, limited supportive relationships and poor mental health and wellbeing that impacts on physical health”.

These works of art are framed and will be displayed for a period in the canteen area in Wilson House for everyone to enjoy.

The Sharing Memories, Building Communities Project is running over four years and also involves the promotion of service users life stories. These were compiled through visits to the clients own homes by a reminiscence worker who worked with them to create a book of their life story.

Creative Reminiscence Groups are set up in six day centres across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and the Project employs three reminiscence workers. The project, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland is a partnership between the Reminiscence Network Northern Ireland, (RNNI) and the Trust’s Health Improvement/Community Development Service and Day Care Service.

30th September 2013