We started this week with the Volunteers’ summer outing to the Botanics. It was beautiful weather, and they seemed to enjoy their time together. I was able to go for an hour, and it was good to have the opportunity to say thank you for all the work that they do. There is no doubt that the Volunteer Project has added so much to the Forget Me Notes Project. The Volunteer Project started when we noticed that as people’s dementia deteriorated, they were no longer able to come to Choirs. It was still clear however that they benefitted from music sessions. Being able to offer sessions in peoples’ own homes is wonderfully empowering to those living with dementia and giving time for carers to have space for themselves.
North Edinburgh Arts were holding a session on building their new meeting centre for those living with dementia and their carers. What I love about the meeting centre concept is that they are there for those people who have yet to have a diagnosis of dementia as well as those in the early stages of their dementia, this is such a key time for people. Enabling and empowering people at this stage can set the tone for what comes later. This is a period which can be so difficult, not knowing what to expect, it can be more than a little scary. I am sure the meeting centre at NEA will be a great resource.
We were at Eagle Lodge on Tuesday, and it was a great time with the residents. I was able to sing the whole of “I’d like to get you on a slow boat to China” with one of the residents, she hasn’t been able to do that for months and it was such a special moment. We then had a moment with a resident who doesn’t always respond positively, clapping her hands and dancing to “When the Saints go Marching in”. Moments like these are precious and makes all that we do so worthwhile.
You are likely to have seen the pictures of our Royal band who went to the King’s Garden party. It was great to see Forget Me Notes represented in this way. They all clearly had such a great time.
Thursday saw us at Saughton Park, and the children are now off school for the summer. The weather wasn’t great, so we went into the glasshouse for the session. My Granddaughter who has Down Syndrome marched in and with her hands on her hips said to me “Grandad Alan, Baby Shark”. The session was great with forty-five people present with at least four new people attending.
On Friday at Ashbrook we had our American friends back with us and others returning from holidays in Australia. We had another great session where people shared their stories, laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. What more can you ask for?
Was there something in the air this week because Together in Song was just great too. We took the theme of relationships and sang songs like “You’ve gotta friend in me” from Toy Story and “Son of a Preacher man”. The staff Choir at the Festival Theatre also sang “Stand by me”. We also took a bit of time to reflect on what we look for in a friend and wrote words on a flip chart. Words like “Loyalty, Reliable, Honest, Kind, Accepts you as you are”. We had several other words all meaningful to those who were there and all describing what we were looking for in a friend. I think for me a keyword when looking for a friend is Respect, we didn’t sing the song, but it was at the core of what we were thinking about and reflecting on.
Well, I hope you find respect in the week ahead and that you also give respect in the week ahead. As it says in the Toy Story song “it’s our destiny cos, You gotta friend in me”
Have a good week.