I began running a table with the Alzheimer’s society at their ‘Memory cafés’, aiming for participants to work on individual patchwork squares, decorated with embroidery and glued embellishments, that would be connected to form a larger collective patchwork. My initial idea was a little restrictive, as it was an activity I was directing, rather than allowing for participants to build up an identity and emotional connections to the processes. Consequently, I adapted the workshops and began to encourage co-design as a way to generate conversation. I noticed that this allowed positive social connects, Dementia and Imagination (2017) also regard co-design and person-centred activities as significant in building social relationships. Dementia and Imagination (2017) recognise “that people with Dementia have five main psychological requirements to support their quality of life: comfort, attachment, inclusion, occupation and identity. Consequently, wellbeing and a life with quality are a direct result of the relationship between people with Dementia and those around them.” (20)
Through case studies I determined that participants were able to use the artefacts they created in the sessions to connect with family members and peers even after the workshop had finished. Well-being was improved in participants, following the sessions, as demonstrated in the case studies to follow:
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