Wendy Mitchell who is a member of York Mind and Voices wrote a blog about their group meeting which had been held on Monday. You can read the blog here: https://whichmeamitoday.wordpress.com/2021/10/19/face-to-face-with-minds-and-voices/
The blog prompted questions I felt worth taking to the facilitator’s session today.
- Welcoming new people and in particular those who are ‘quieter ones’ and to help people to ‘feel at home and confident’
- The size of the group – with care partners there are now about 30 people in the group.
- Separate time/groups for care partners and people with dementia.
It also reminded me (as I am also putting together a new top tips for facilitators from our facilitators gathering ) that sometimes it is just really tough to have all the answers, especially on the day. Many facilitators don’t know how any people will be coming on the day. None of us know how a group of people will get on on the day and putting new people in to the mix is always an anxious time for anybody! We have got to be kind to ourselves that sometimes we just don’t know! Also it won’t be the same answer for any two groups anyway.
So, it was particularly interesting to welcome two new assistant psychologists from Kent to the facilitator Zoom for the first time. How did it feel for them to be new and also new to their groups? We tried to make them feel welcome and they said nice things – but is the proof in the pudding if they come back?
We talked around the houses a bit about the issues Wendy raised. Allison from Dementia NI belongs to a group of about six people. It is a space that everybody has the time and place to speak. But since the beginning of 2021 she has been putting herself out there to be part of other Zoom groups. She hit the (or a) nail on the head for her the magic ingredient is ‘So long as everyone is made to feel comfy and welcome that’s all we need’. Damian recognised that in the busyness of the group he felt that the comfort and welcome was missing for Minds and Voices on Monday . I reminded Damian of his renowned gesture of welcome and comfort in York with putting out bowls of licorice allsorts.
A couple of examples were discussed today where groups have time together and are then separated. Care partners with care partners and people with dementia with people with dementia. This seems to work well, but it was recognised that some people needed reassurance on either side that the other person was still nearby and that they’d be okay. We mentioned buddies of more established members welcoming new people and offering reassurance and pointing out the important things like where are the toilets and the biscuits.
We also discussed big reverberating/echoey/acoustically challenging rooms which are tricky at the best of times for larger groups and separate conversations going on.
If you were to divide a group of people with dementia in to smaller groups how would you do that?
The conversation will be continued on Wednesday 10th November facilitators Zoom bewtwen 1230 and 130pm. Please book your place by emailing Anna@myid.org.uk
