Bringing happiness to Alzheimer's sufferers and their carers

The garden party in full swing

It's been three months since I last updated this blog, but I never truly abandoned it, I always intended to come back. Seeing Thoughts was set up during a time in my life when I needed something new and different, and simple but involving, to concentrate on. It did its job, and has evolved since, but I could never abandon it for good... it's a mouthpiece for my inner thoughts, rather than my professional scribblings.

I've been prompted to update Seeing Thoughts after being involved with something wonderful yesterday. My good friend Erika asked if I would help out at a summer garden party she was holding at her house for members of the Alzheimer's Disease support group she is involved with. Every week Erika meets up with the group and they have a good singalong and gossip, which helps both the carers to kick back a bit, and the sufferers, who often come alive or reconnect through the power of music.

Yesterday was a glorious, sun-drenched, cloudless summer's day and the setting was perfect. Erika's house lies in the shadow of a beautiful mountain, boasts a sizeable and well-tended garden, and has the space to accommodate the 60-70 people who came along. The video below shows the set-up, with the many chairs and marquees, before people arrived. Sadly, uploading videos to Blogspot means they get compressed quite severely, and the picture quality is quite poor compared to the actual crystal clear videos I took. Still, you get the idea...

I was enlisted to help with the refreshments, and spent much of my time pouring out orange and apple juice and making sure everybody had what they wanted. There were other volunteer helpers too dealing with the hot drinks and the food.

What cheered me most was seeing the Alzheimer's sufferers so happy. Right there and then, that sunny August afternoon, they were smiling and happy and joyous, the live band stirring something inside them and bringing them closer to the world they have sadly become more and more disconnected from. It must be so joyful for the carers to see this happen, to see their loved ones re-emerge from the smog of confusion and upset they must go through every day. They say music, as well as pets and old photographs, serves as a trigger for many people suffering with memory problems. Music is something we all have in common - we grow up with it as a learning tool, we are immersed in the music we hear around us as we develop, and we adopt our own favourites. So to hear those old favourites, or to simply feel moved by the rhythm of a song, must enliven their spirits. Here's a snatch of them singing Steeleye Span's All Around My Hat...

It's crushingly sad to see what Alzheimer's does to people. It's the cruellest of all fates, the way your very self is eaten away until all that is left is a shell that looks like you, but the real you inside is gone. We are the sum of our memories, so to have those memories taken away from us is a living nightmare. And it's even harder to witness, to see your loved one gradually leave, but also stay behind. It's like leaving a room but forgetting to walk through the door...

And so I was humbled by the people who attended the party. I was honoured to help out, and I was privileged to have chatted to people who, to me, are among the bravest people I've ever met, having to both live with Alzheimer's, and come to the terrifying conclusion that there is no going back.

Another of my heroes is Erika herself. She puts her heart and soul into these events, and does it for the love and respect she has for them all. She asks nothing in return, just their happiness and their smiles. So well done Erika. Bringing light into the fading lives of those suffering with Alzheimer's is an honourable, admirable thing to do. You should be proud of yourself, as everybody who knows you is proud of you too.

My favourite video, of everybody singing Travellin' Light, by Cliff Richard and the Shadows...

How to get involved in Erika's High Notes group...

High Notes is a voluntary singing and support group for people with memory problems, their carers, families and friends, and others who may feel isolated, vulnerable or lonely. Established in 2006, the weekly sessions are informal and run on an entirely voluntary basis, offering music, fun, friendship and support. Participants come from all over Conwy county in North Wales, and some neighbouring counties. Sessions are held every Wednesday, 1.45pm-3.45pm, at Mochdre Village Hall, opposite the Mountain View Hotel, Old Colwyn Road, Mochdre, LL28 5HU.

High Notes is self-funding. A nominal charge of £1.50 per person per session and money from a raffle go towards refreshments, hall hire, raffle prizes, an annual garden party in August, a theatre trip or an appropriate outing where possible, and Christmas lunch. Contact Erika on 07583 089248.

Alzheimer's Society: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/index.php