Mary's Story

The book has had a profound affect on Mary, her family and the carers around her. It has not only brought a great deal of happiness, but it has given Mary and her daughter a wonderful focus over the last couple of months as they put the book together.

Ann explained "This was something we could do together - we had lots of laughs. There were tears too as memories are not always happy ones - but we worked around that. Now it provides an invaluable source of interest and stimulation for visits to Mum at the care home".

There were also two other more remarkable affects making the book has had. Ann said "Mum has not read anything in the way of papers or magazines for a few years but now she reads out the captions beside the photos and the wee stories in her memory book. The other day we had been concentrating on the wee poem on the last page and shortly after that she quoted me one of the lines! Mum's short term memory is really poor so this really took me aback."

In addition Ann said that her mother had been staying in her own unit and did not like coming down to the big communal area, but now, in building this book, it has become part of her regular routine. The book comes out regularly and Mary is more inclined to talk with other people about her book without the support of Ann.

Because users of a Caring Memories book also receive an online version of the book, Mary's grand-daughters who live in the south of England have also been able to share in the experience.

This email came from one of Ann's daughters:"Hi Mum, I've just been through the book.............it's FANTASTIC!! I learned so much as well!! It definitely brought a tear to my eye, especially the tea lady poem!! Thanks, I'm not surprised that Gran loves it, it's brilliant!"

Click here to look at Mary's book which her family has kindly allowed us to share.