Our gardening sessions with older patients at the BRI are full of touching moments, but Abi shared a particularly beautiful interaction with Ms M. this week as they were going around the garden…
“You showing me those violets reminds me – when we were younger we’d go to Cornwall and see the Cornish violets – they were huge, they’re so beautiful. That’s the thing, now I’m losing it a bit up there, I can’t remember what I said to someone five minutes ago but I spend more time thinking about lovely memories from the good old days. I think more about things from the past, the positive things.”
It was such a beautiful statement about reimagining dementia that Abi asked her if there was anything else she’d want people to know. She was so enthusiastic to talk, she said:
“Well just go and get it checked out. I sat worrying and wondering for ages, I don’t know what made me do it in the end but I just picked up the phone and called the doctors. It’s so easy.
I’d tell someone never be afraid to talk, to call a helpline or the doctors. I got all the tests and scans done and found out it was Alzheimer’s, it’s so much better to know what it is, that there’s a name for it and I can get some help, not that I’m going completely mad.
So I’d say to just talk – talking is as good as a dose as they say! If any of these thoughts can be a help to someone else then I am very happy to share them!”
She picked hops and made friends with other patients at the table and the volunteers, enjoyed tea and jam tarts and was so lit up. After telling us about her various jobs, family and general philosophies, she said:
“I am so grateful, It’s been wonderful to have someone with me to reminisce in my wanderings. We are basically housebound at home, it gets very lonely, it gets hard to keep going on – you think, what’s the point?
But talking like this really makes a difference.”
