A Trip Down Memory Lane

Kelly Grimes

My name is Kelly Grimes, third year student at Warwick university, Centre for Life Long Learning.

I have two daughters and former carer for my grandfather in the six years prior to starting university.

Before caring for my grandfather, I held a successful career in corporate hospitality for fifteen years.

About the Project

Following the ‘Art therapy’ topic in Understanding Wellbeing, my student devised assessment takes the form of a digital coloring book with a view to printing. My inspiration for this piece was my grandfather who is eight years into living with a diagnosis of Vascular Dementia.

Based on my personal experience I wanted to create something to inspire other people caring for a person or loved with Dementia, the idea of a coloring book that could be tailored personally with their loved ones favorite past times, hobbies and the things they once enjoyed.

I found that the coloring books available to purchase online, during my time as my grandfathers carer, quite generic, images with little meaning or relevance to him, and in some cases not overly thought provoking. On occasions he would get bored and spend time mostly just flicking through pages for an image that caught his eye.

Colouring, often linked to childhood, has gained significant recognition in adult therapeutic and wellness contexts. For those with dementia, the emphasis lies not alone on creativity but also on directing attention, engaging sensory memories, and soothing the mind. Focussing on colours, forms, and patterns might provide a meditative concentration that alleviates restlessness or agitation frequently linked to memory impairment problems.