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03 Oct 2012 (archived)

People with dementia invited to light up their lives

People living with dementia are being invited to light up their lives by joining a new club which will encourage them to build friendships and learn new skills.

Lights Up is a free friendly club that will bring people living with dementia together with their friends, families and carers.

The Club will enable them to share their experiences as well as take part in a host of arts activities from dancing and making music to storytelling.

Recent studies have shown engagement with arts brings benefits to both those with dementia and their loved ones through sharing activities. It also accesses the creative part of the brain, which overrides the stresses of memory loss and restores a sense of personal identity. It will also help reduce feelings of isolation and seclusion that many people with dementia suffer as they struggle to communicate with others.

Cllr Richard Langridge, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "Living with dementia brings many challenges and this Club aims to help those affected to cope with the everyday strains and stresses they face. West Oxfordshire has an ageing population and current figures suggest over 7,000 people have dementia in the county. It is important to provide services for them and we are pleased to be setting up Lights Up, which we believe will not only offer creative thinking but help to reduce the feeling of being isolated from society."

West Oxfordshire District Council is working with a host of organisations to run the six-month pilot project, which will take place twice a month in Chipping Norton.

The club begins on Tuesday 9 October at Highlands, 73 Burford Road, Chipping Norton, OX7 5EE from 10.45am-12.30pm. People can turn up on the day and do not need to book in advance.

Help with transport is available for people who have no other means of transport. For more information call: 0845 1204048

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