Dementia-friendly museum program 'brings the past to life,' participants say

Standing outside thereplica of an old pharmacy in theManitoba Museum, Vern Cooke knows just what he's looking at.

The Bletcher and McDougall pharmacylike the rest of the museum's Urban Gallery is meant to emulate Winnipeg in the early 1920s.

Cooke, a former pharmacist who is about to turn 95, recognized both names on the sign Bletcher and McDougall both taught in the University of Manitoba's pharmacy program, Cooke says, and McDougall was one of his professors before he graduated in the 1940s.

Though Cooke lives with early stagedementia, this sign instantly stirs memories of people he knew more than 70 years ago.

"It brings the past to life again," Cooke said. "It's nice to know that people are looking back."

On a quiet Friday afternoon in the museum, Cooke was one of a handful of people participating in the first session of a special museum offering, designed to make the museum more accessible to people with dementia.

"It's very important [for] the community to have dementia-friendly programs," said Kathy Diehl Cyr, community partnership manager at the AlzheimerSociety of Manitoba.

"We know that over 23,000 Manitobans have dementia, and that number is growing. Fifty-six per cent of Manitobans are impacted by the disease, [through]a family member or a friend."

The program, called Now and Then: A Journey in Time, was organized through a partnership between the Alzheimer Society and the museum. The first of six two-hour sessions launched Friday, on the theme of "Winnipeg 100 years ago."

"[Participants] actually have things to teach me. They're telling me facts that I didn't even know about the artifacts," said Shauna Carmichael, theManitoba Museum's learning and engagement producer, and co-ordinator of the Now and Then program.

"I would say that's one of the takeaways for me, is that I'm already learning."

A sensory experience

Theprogram is designed for people with early to moderate signs of dementia, which Diehl Cyr said can includeconfusion or disorientation, as well as changes in mood or behaviour. People with dementia who participate in the program are joined by a loved one or caregiver.

Thesession starts witha presentation by Carmichael in a museum classroom, before the group moves into the galleries upstairs. Carmichael said she was careful to keep the presentation portion short and conversational, to accommodate participants with dementia.

In the galleries, Carmichael brings artifacts participants can touch, hold or use, like a heavy metal "sad iron" that would have been used to press clothing in the early 20th century. Looking at it, Cooke comments thathe rememberswatching his mother use one.

Carmichael has even added "smell jars" jars with a scented item inside that ties into the theme of the day to keep the experience tactile and sensory. On the first Friday, the jar had a piece of cotton sprayed withChanel No. 5 perfume, which would have been sold in shops in the '20s.

"I think that is absolutely important that we reach out, not just to this group, but also all different museum audiences, to be as accessible as possible," Carmichael said.

"Because the Manitoba Museum is Manitoba's museum, and we want to be able to be accessible to all Manitobans."

'Positive energy'

Diehl Cyr says the social aspect of the program, which includes a coffee and cookie break as well as group crafting or activities, is a crucial element for participants with dementia.

"It helps to activate the minds and the bodies. One of the greatest ways to activate the brain is to have some social time," she said.

"That's why we want to have programs that offer friendly environments to people with dementia, so that they can feel accepted and included and supported."

GaryQuinton also attended Friday with his wife, Judy. The paircontributed to the development of the program by acting as its first-ever participants in a trial run prior to the actual launch.

Quinton said Fridayhis Alzheimer's diagnosis hasn't quenched his desire to keep learning something the museum program caters to.

"I love it," he said. "It is a really positive energy."

The former English teacherencouraged anyone with a dementia diagnosis to stay active and engaged in their community through programming like that offered at the museum.

"I think the important thing is to get out of the house and be active physically. Don't retreat," he said. "It's really worthwhile."

The Now and Then program will run each Friday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. until Dec. 6. If you want to sign up, you can contact museum reservations co-orindator Fiona Sime at 204-988-0626.