New handbook aims to help sports clubs set up 'Sporting Memories' groups

A new Sporting Memories Handbook has been developed to encourage and support local sports organisations in setting up Sporting Memories groups.

An initiative of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Sporting Memories groups are intended to provide a forum for people with dementia, families, supporters, and friends to reminisce and talk about bygone sporting days as well as encourage participation in physical activity.

The new handbook, which is supported by the Dementia: Understand Together campaign, aims to help improve the health and well-being of people with dementia, as well as older people in general.

The Sporting Memories initiative hopes to inspire and encourage local sporting clubs and organisations to organise regular Sporting Memories groups in their localities.

The groups would bring people together to reminisce about their lives through the medium of sport, using images, video footage, memorabilia, quizzes, and guest talks to spark memories and encourage social engagement.

By using sporting cues, the purpose is to stimulate memory, improve communication and social skills, as well as create a sense of camaraderie and belonging.

The ultimate objective of the programme is to tackle dementia, depression, and loneliness through safe, friendly sessions, led by people with a passion for sport and a desire to help people stay engaged in their communities.

"We know that sport plays a key part in the lives of many people," commented Donal Murphy, Operations Project Manager, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

"From GAA to rugby, football to golf, people are immersed in sport from an early age as players, as club members, and as spectators. Sport gives us so much pleasure and often punctuates our lives with golden sporting moments of joy and ecstasy.

"Allegiance to club, county, and country, gives us a sense of identity that binds us together like nothing else, creating memories that last a lifetime.

"We also know that for people with dementia, remembering past events often comes more readily than recent events. Through this programme, we want to use the power of sport to help bring people together, and to re-establish that connection between people with dementia and the communities in which they live.

"By wearing the county jersey or team colours, and by using memorabilia such as match programmes, posters, and tickets, we want to be able to trigger exciting memories and take people on a trip down memory lane.

"With it, we hope to evoke stories of chance encounters with childhood sporting heroes, of flasks of tea and packed sandwiches on match days, of lining the streets to welcome home sporting champions."

John McGouran, Community Officer at Shelbourne Football Club, explained that Shelbourne launched a 'Football Memories' programme in June 2021

"With the support of the Community Engagement team of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, the club have delivered a number of events both virtually and in person that have helped people living with dementia to reminisce of great moments in Irish football history," said John.

"The engagement and participation of those in attendance has been a delight to see, and shows the power that sport has to connect with people on their dementia journey.

"Shelbourne FC is looking forward to developing the 'Football Memories' programme further during 2022."

The new handbook is described as a 'how-to' guide for the development of Sporting Memories groups, and includes information on dementia, how to set up groups and organise different activities, as well as offering communication tips, ways to create a supportive environment, and details of how to access group resources.

There are an estimated 1,154 people living with dementia in Westmeath, as well as 1,108 in Roscommon and 1,068 in Offaly. Each year, more than 11,000 people develop the disease across the country.

For more information on the Sporting Memories programme, or to access the handbook, visit www.alzheimer.ie or www.understandtogether.ie.

The handbook can be downloaded directly here, or you can order a copy from: www.healthpromotion.ie