Dementia Outreach

In 2021, Stirling Council committed to making Stirling a Dementia Friendly City. Here at SCHT we’ve contributed to these wider strategic plans to promote mental health and wellbeing in Stirling by producing two resources specifically designed for use by people with Dementia.

Accessible Publication

In 2022, we launched 20 Great Buildings of Stirling, an Accessible Publication, created for people living with Dementia, in care communities, and New Scots. It provides accessible interpretation for each building, as well as reminiscence questions to engage users. This booklet invites readers to explore Stirling in a safe environment, allowing groups to reminisce and share stories together. 20 Great Buildings was created in partnership with The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum. Inspired by The Smith’s 20 Great Paintings: Highlights from the Stirling Smith’s Art Collection publication, released in 2021.

20 Great Buildings was funded by Historic Environment Scotland and the booklet was made available free of charge to local care homes, Libraries, community support groups, and third sector organisations.

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Reminiscence Boxes

Building on the success of 20 Great Buildings of Stirling, in 2023, we produced a new resource for people with Dementia and Alzheimer’s, Stirling Reminiscence Boxes. Reminiscence Therapy involves discussing events and experiences from the past, and aims to evoke memories, stimulate mental activity and improve a person’s wellbeing. Research has shown that Reminiscence Therapy can help older people with depression to focus on positive aspects of their past, encouraging positive thoughts. It is particularly useful for people living with Dementia, as they often have a better memory for the distant past than they do for recent events. Our Boxes provide a meaningful activity for users and they also give carers and loved ones an opportunity to reconnect with the person with Dementia.

The Stirling Reminiscence Box project was made possible by funding from the Ideas, Innovation, Improvement Assessment Fund, administered by Stirling Voluntary Enterprise and Clackmannanshire Third Sector Interface, and from Historic Environment Scotland.

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For more information about these projects see our report:

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Reminiscence Box Toolkit

Our Reminiscence Box Toolkit, which you can download for free here, gives you all the helpful tips and tricks you’ll need to create your very own Reminiscence Boxes.

If you do feel inspired and create your own, please get in touch and let us know what themes you decided to go with, and who has been enjoying using the resource. We’d love to hear from you.

The Reminiscence Box project was made possible by funding from the Ideas, Innovation, Improvement Assessment Fund, administered by Stirling Voluntary Enterprise, and from Historic Environment Scotland.

Download the toolkit

Our Work