Wish You Were Here…Please Send Us A Postcard

In this article, our guest blogger, Gillian Hesketh, Managing Director of Happy Days Dementia Workshop & Design, talks about the Wish You Were Here Postcard Project. This marvellous project aims to help share and prompt memories in the elderly and those living with dementia.

Wish you were here: We’re having a fabulous time in Torquay – The twins have paddled in the sea and had a donkey ride on Prince and Katy – Rained all week in Margate but we had a fun time playing board games in the hotel lounge. Tenerife sunshine never fails – We’re enjoying a good rest.

Could this be you? Could you send us a postcard from your holiday or home town?

At Happy Days we’re collecting postcards to share with elderly and people living with dementia. Pictures and places can prompt the long term memory and often bring about stories to share – Tales of holidays, countryside adventures, sand between your toes, sunny days, even rainy wet holidays. It could be just one postcard that brings back a special memory, a story or a moment to enjoy together.

So that’s why we at Happy Days Dementia Workshop are requesting postcards [address below] from your holidays, business trips, World tours or from your home town, to help carers and families engage and enrich social care in a fun and enjoyable way with the people they are caring for and love.

It’s simple – Just send us a postcard – add a comment if you wish – We will collate them for free of course, provide see-through wallets [so the cards won’t go un-noticed in activity storage cupboards] and despatch at no charge to residential care and dementia homes, senior wards in hospitals, dementia cafes and community groups.

When our first postcard arrived from ‘Richard’ in Kopalnia Soli, Wieliczka, [which we later learned, is in Poland], it felt so fabulous, a thousand cards could have landed that day.

The following day we received a postcard from ‘Dorothy’ from Blackpool [my home town] so that felt wonderful too. That’s when I knew the project would really work.

If I could enjoy these colourful, interesting and fun pictures and sense the kind thoughts of the people sending them, then surely other people would receive a sense of enjoyment too.

The packs of postcards can be used in groups – at tea times – or one to one for people who prefer to do things quietly. Relatives and friends will have something to share and talk about, making visiting times more fun. There’s something in it for everyone – so please, send us a card from anywhere, anytime and know that it will continue on it’s journey entertaining elderly, people living with dementia, their families and carers.

Hear the stories – See the Smiles

Thank you – on behalf of all the people who are about to enjoy the Happy Days Wish You Were Here Postcard Project, Gillian

Please send postcards to: Happy Days Dementia Workshop – 2 The Illawalla – Little Thornton FY55LG

If you know of a care home, dementia group or care setting who would enjoy a pack of these enriching postcards, just let us know – email gillian@dementiaworkshop.co.uk – and as postcards arrive, we’ll make up the packs.

Please note – ‘Wish You Were Here’ Postcard Project by Happy Days is simply a voluntary operation which does not create charges or raise funds.

Shop online at www.dementiaworkshop.co.uk

Showroom now open in Lancashire – Phone 01253-899163 for appointment.