Teaching project helping people with dementia

People living with dementia are helping to teach Lancashire schoolchildren about history.

Padiham's Shuttleworth College has joined forces with Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust's Memory Assessment Service to develop a project which helps people with dementia to test their memories while teaching history, according to the Burnley and Pendle Citizen.

After initial trials earlier this year, head teacher Martin Burgess has invited senior executives in the NHS to come and view the results.

Dr Amanda Thornton, Lancashire Care Lead Psychologist for Older People and the project's creator, told the publication that the programme helps to improve self-esteem for those living with the condition at a very difficult time of transition.

"Helping to deliver lessons on history provides the perfect opportunity to engage people with memory problems, as memories of school days and early life are normally well preserved," she explained.

The Alzheimer's Research Trust estimates that there are currently 820,000 people living with dementia in the UK.

Read more about Barchester's dementia care homes.