Winding up 2023
2023 has been a good year for Reminisce Connect. The family achieved what we set out to accomplish: the move towards meeting the spiritual needs of Seniors and their caregivers. Reminiscence and Spirituality (REST) a 12-week reminiscence sessions took flight at a Christian senior care centre where new friendships are fostered and lives are impacted. It works on the presupposition that though the body and mental faculty may wear away with time, the elderly, including those living with dementia, have an intrinsic capacity within their inner being to connect with God. Hence, these reminiscence sessions aim to provide the link for this connectivity. Together with the use of reminiscence arts activities, REST aims to promote and enhance the well-being of the elderly with this celebration : We are all made beautiful in God’s eyes. Each of us is engraved on the palm of His hand. He will never forget us.
John Enoch, our son and a new addition to Reminisce Connect graduated from high school. In his pursuit of photography, he joined us in the documentation of our reminiscence sessions.
Training at the Bathway Theatre, Woolwich, United Kingdom by the European Reminiscence
Network (ERN), 19-20 January 2023.
To further equip ourselves in this work, Arthur and John attended the Reminiscence Arts in Dementia Care course at the Bathway Theatre, Woolrich, London in January 2023 under the tutelage of the eminent Pam Schweitzer, Founder of the the European Reminiscence Network (ERN). Arthur receives his accreditation certificate as Facilitator of Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today upon his completion of a one-year apprenticeship in Reminiscence Arts in Dementia Care with the ERN.
Reminiscence Network (ERN) and her associates Sue Heiser (extreme left) and Caroline Baker
The family trio presented at the European Reminiscence Network (ERN) Conference in Amsterdam (30 Sep to 1 Oct 2023) on Reminiscence and Spirituality based on our reflection from a twelve-week practicum sessions we conducted with our volunteers at a centre for seniors.
Reminisce Connect was also invited to participate and share at the St Luke’s Eldercare (SLEC) Comcare Symposium and Workshop held at the SIM campus on 29 September 2023. Titled “Healing Conversation”, the family took to the stage and shared how as a unit, with God’s help, we struggled and navigated around the challenges of living with mild cognitive impairment (mci), attention deficient and hyperactive disorder (adhd) and heightened anxiety.
During the afternoon workshop session, the family, together with Reminisce Connect volunteers, shared with the participants the value of reminiscence in dementia care in a highly engaging hands-on activity based on their experiences at the reminiscence sessions held at a St Luke’s ElderCare Centre.
Dementia Colab Network Meeting, 27 July @ Dementia Singapore
As a beneficiary of the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) Integrated Cognitive Engagement (NNICE) Programme, Arthur shared how he had benefited from the wonderful support provided by his NNI doctors and psychologist as well as from the NNICE programme in helping him with neurological condition training so that he can navigate the daily challenges of mild cognitive impairment and continue to lead purposeful life.
Christmas @ Family of Wisdom, Dementia Singapore
The year ended with an alumni gathering of Take off Your CAP! participants over three days at the Family of Wisdom (Bendemeer) over three days in the month of December. The Christmas programme was designed in the form of a “Sharp Night” show; a Christmas Cantata and our very own version of the President’s Charity Show. It was a gathering of old friends, caregivers, domestic helpers, DSG staff and volunteers, where friendships were forged as early as 2018 when we first launched Reminisce Connect’s first Take off your CAP! – a 12-week reminiscence sessions at the old DSG office.
The following line-up for 2020 Take off your CAP! 4th Run at the Family of Wisdom (Bendeemer), ADA from 9 Oct to 11 Dec. A 10-week group group reminiscence sessions where persons living with dementia and caregivers come together to reminisce past events, experiences and people with fond memories!
Reminiscence Arts in Dementia Care for SUSS Gerontology Seminar Series – 29 September, 10am-1pm . By invitation only.
Journey with Arts and Dementia Toolkit Training – 7 January (2nd Run), 21 Aug (3rd Run). Please contact ADA, Miss Wong Sze Chi : szechi@alz.org.sg for more information and registration
“Take off your CAP! ” – Part II. A 12-week Group and One-to-One Reminiscence Sessions for Persons with Dementia and their carers. The reminiscence themes: Valentine’s Day, Music Retro Spin, From Charcoal to Gas, Beauty World, Transport, Jurong Drive-in, Home Remedies, Movies and Television, High Tea and Fashion, Having Grandchildren, Retirement. Venue: ADA Family of Wisdom Bendemeer. Every Thursday starting 27 Feb – 18 June (postponed till further notice in view of COVID-19). Registration is closed.
The following programme were lined up for 2019:
The European Reminiscence Network International Conference, Dublin, Ireland, May 1-4 in 2019. The main themes will be reminiscence arts in dementia care and reminiscence theatre. Speakers from Europe, USA, Japan, Australia and Singapore. Reminisce Connect, Patricia Lee, will present on Take off your CAP! The Singapore Experience based on two pilot runs on the use of reminiscence arts in engaging persons living with dementia and their carers at the Family of Wisdom (Bendemeer), Alzhemier’s Disease Association (ADA)
The Theatre of Memory – programme conference Dublin. docx
Take-off your CAP! Facilitators’ Training. Date: Saturday, 7 September 2019 , Shalom Reformed Baptist Church
Take-off your CAP! A six-week fortnightly group reminiscence sessions involving family carers and their elderly loved ones leading to Christmas celebration. Venue: Shalom Reformed Baptist Church. Date: Sunday Oct-Dec 2019
Campus Outreach by Ngee Ann Polytechnic Office of Service-Learning : Engaging the Elderly through Reminiscence Sharing Session. Date: Wednesday, 17 April 2019, 6pm. Venue: LT51c, Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Bridging Relationships with the Elderly through Reminiscence. Date: Sunday, 27 January 2019 ; Time: 11-4pm. Venue: Shalom Reformed Baptist Church
(Source: RC, TOYC Run 1, Having Babies and Raising Children Session)
Take-off Your CAP (Couples) Batch 3 ! A 17 one-hour group reminiscence sessions with elderly couples to rediscover their happy moments together. Date: Feb-Oct 2019, every alternate Thursdays. Venue: Family of Wisdom (Bendemeer), ADA
(Source: RC, TOYC Run 1, Wedding and Marriage Session)
Take-off Your CAP! Once upon a time, Singapore. A monthly alumni reminiscence meeting comprising 10 sessions covering the following themes: Fire Crackers; From Charcoal to Gas; Beauty World; Trolley Buses, Steam Ships and Twin-propeller planes; Jurong Drive-in; Happy 200th Birthday Singapore; Home Remedies; Por Por & Gong Gong; Happy Holidays. Date: Every first Tuesday of the Month (starting July 2019. TBC) Venue: Bendemeer FOW
(Source: RC, TOYC Run 1, Starting Work Session)
TOYC Batch 1 Alumni Year-end Gathering, 29 Dec 2018. Retro-spin Night @ Mr and Mrs Mak’s Residence (Completed)
Take off Your CAP! (Teochew Group) Batch 2, 7 Aug -23 Oct 2018. Venue: ADA Family of Wisdom, Bendemeer (Completed)
Take off Your CAP! National Day Celebration, 4 August 2018, 10-12.30pm. Venue: ADA Family of Wisdom, Bendemeer (Completed)
Tell Me Your Story Ma! Workshop for Carers of TOYC Batch 1, Aug-Sep 2018 9-11am. Venue: ADA FOW Bendemeer & 360 Dunearn (Completed)
Use of Reminiscence in Engaging the Elderly, 24 July 2018, 9.00am-5pm. Venue: 360@360 Dunearn Road , Level 1. Singapore 299552 (Completed)
- ADA Staff and Volunteers’ Appreciation Night, 21 July 2018, 6.30am-9pm. Venue: 360@360 Dunearn Road , Dining Room. Singapore 299552
- Bridging Relationships with the Elderly, Facilitators’ Training. 18 June 2018, 9.30am-5pm. Venue: 360@360 Dunearn Road , Level 1. Singapore 299552.
Source: Eric Kwan
- Volunteers training for “Take off your CAP!” sessions. Highly facilitative and hands-on training for volunteers coming on board to help in group reminiscence work among persons with dementia and their family carers. 5 Feb & 12 Feb 2018, 9.30am-noon. Venue: 360@360 Dunearn Road , Basement, Transform Room. Singapore 299552.
- Volunteers’ Briefing Session, Wednesday, 7 March 2018, 10am at 360 Dunearn
- Sharing session on Lessons Learnt from “Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today” (by the European Reminiscence Network) Nov 17 Conference and Jan 18 Training held in Greenwich University, London on reminiscence work with persons with dementia by Patricia Lee. 26 Feb 2018, 10am -Noon. (Postponed till further notice.) Venue: 360@360 Dunearn Road Singapore 299552. Fee: Free. Please register at: ask@reminisceconnect.com
- “Take off your CAP!” Batch 1 – CAP stands for Curated Archives of a Person’s Belongings. From 13 Mar – 12 June 2018, this is a 12-week pilot-run group reminiscence sessions for family carers and persons with early stage of dementia at the Family of Wisdom Centre, ADA.
- “Tell me your Story Pa and Ma!” Workshop for family carers /professionals/volunteers who want to learn the skills of collecting their parents’ and the elderly’s life stories. 5 Nov 2017, 9.00am -5pm 360 @360 Dunearn Road Singapore 299552. Please register at: ask@reminisceconnect.com
Tell Me Your Story Workshop
Date: Wednesdays, 20 Sep & 27 Sep 2017
Time: 9.30am -12.30pm
Venue: 360 @ 360, Dunearn Road, Singapore 299552
“Tell me Your Story…” Participants (Source: Eric Kwan)
Group 1: Lewis, Annie, Joseph and Mak (Source: Eric Kwan)
Group 2: Eileen, Gillian, Audrey and Eric (Source: Eric Kwan)
Group 3: John, Suh Juan, Mei and Joseph (Source: Eric Kwan)
Group 4: Siew Tin, Poh Ling, Deena and Debbie (Source: Eric Kwan)
Group 5: Sook Fung, Jenny, Mary and Oi Ching (Source: Eric Kwan)