The aim of the ‘Box of our Memories – Adult Education Caring for Memory Loss‘ (BooM) project is to improve the availability of reminiscence-based, digital, informal adult education interventions for seniors. The project aims to do this by extending the necessary knowledge, skills and competences for adult educators working in diverse fields from informal carers and family members, to volunteers and educational staff working in museums and archives.

Reminiscence therapy is the use of life histories – written, oral, or both – to improve psychological well-being, especially with older persons. 

There is broadening evidence of the efficacy of non-medicinal interventions to alleviate the stressful effects of dementia, in particular the positive stimulus of interacting with music and digitally mediated imagery. Statistical analysis reveals significant improvement in respect of the pre and post questions about knowledge and skills in respect of dementia, reminiscence and life history, understanding and empathy towards people with dementia, competency in using reminiscence, objects or other tools (including photographs) to support or engage with people with dementia and taking part and leading Memory Box sessions.

The challenge presented by these types of intervention is how to make them easily accessible by those with cognitive impairment. [Improving the Quality of Life of Individuals with Dementia Using Personal Digital Media – Nayer K., Coxon S. (2020)].

The Box of our Memories project will benefit an increased number of seniors to go through reminiscence therapy. The so called reminiscence therapy is practiced in some parts of Europe and performed by many residential care facilities in the framework of non-pharmacological treatments for people with cognitive impairments and it is considered to be effective.

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