This week I have had the privilege of doing two review of services that we deliver to other providers. Reviewing the work of other people is a privilege that needs to be done with respect, understanding the context in which a service is being delivered. The comments shared with me by providers was so easy to listen to because they were so happy with the service that they have been given. It is testimony to the quality of the other facilitators who work with us. Why am I so pleased? Well, it is because for so long those living with dementia have been short-changed by the services given to them. The services generally to older people are so underfunded and the services to those with dementia are even more challenging. To be a part of turning services for people living with dementia into a quality that is deserved is my life’s work.
We delivered the first Christmas session this year when we did Together in Song at the Festival Theatre. It was a great afternoon. I know by the end of December I will be happy to put away the Christmas songs for another year but before I do, I am going to enjoy the celebration. This coming week we will be doing our usual Music Memory sessions along with Saughton Park. We will be at the Hive in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and in Ocean Terminal at the Wee Hub, a memory centre in one of the indoor shopping centres in Edinburgh. It is a fun time, it is a time to sing and celebrate but we mustn’t ever forget that dementia is a whole year-round illness and it brings with it tensions and challenges each and every day. Being able to offer people a measure of relief and positivity through music is an honour.
The aims of The Forget Me Notes project to build community, challenge isolation and provide enhanced opportunities for communication are so relevant at Christmas. We have so many opportunities over the next month to carry that message as we build community, encourage participation, listen to stories, and be inspired.
Hope you have a great week.