TREASURE HUNT
Warm welcome to ‘Treasure Hunt ’- a set of resources developed as part of the Treasure project.
What kind of Treasure Hunt are we going on?
At the heart of the idea of a ‘Treasure Hunt’ within The Treasure project, is the view that there are gems and treasures to be found when engaging with people in the later stages of dementia. The gems and treasures to be found are moments of feeling connected.
To go on a Treasure Hunt is to be open and intentionally look for opportunities for connection, with the person with dementia, in ways which might be new or a bit different to what you have tried before. The treasures to be found might be in the tiniest of moments, a small spark or a new discovery.
About the Treasure Hunt Resources
The ‘Treasure Hunt’ resources are designed to generate space for people who are engaging in online interactions with people with dementia, to think about key points before, during and after the visit. The resources also offer a bundle of ideas to try out during the visit which may go some way in creating opportunities for connection. To read more about using the Treasure Hunt resources visit Tips for Use. If you are a carer, for example staff member in care home, who is supporting a person with dementia to engage in an online interaction, you may find these Notes useful.
Go Well on your Treasure Hunt
tuning into yourself
Tuning in to Ourselves is a resource for personal reflection, which invites you to take a pause for yourself before you visit with your family member/friend online. The resource describes a range of ideas for becoming aware of how you are feeling and how you would like to prepare.
The purpose of this resource is to start the Treasure Hunt from a place of acknowledging how you are in that moment.
TUNING INTO OTHERS
Tuning in to Others is a resource which can be used during your online visit with your family member/friend. It describes a range of ideas for tuning in to how your family member/friend is during the visit.
The purpose of this resource is to offer you ideas for being alongside your family member/friend in ways which help you tune in with what is going on for them, without having any set goals for what will happen during the visit.
CONNECTION CLUES
Connection Clues is a resource which can be used during your online visit with your family member/friend. Finding ways to generate conversation in an online context, particularly if the person you are visiting uses few or no words, can be extremely challenging. The Connection Clues are a range of ideas for you to try out during the visit. These may generate laughs, interactions that don’t rely solely on words and small sparks of energy or interest.
The purpose of this resouece to offer ideas to expand how you approach being together with your family member/friend online.
re-storing
Re-storing is a resource for personal reflection which has been designed to invite you to take time to think over your visit with your family member/friend. The name ‘Re-Storing’ has been chosen for two reasons:
1. To bring to mind what you valued in the visit and bits you would like to store away as a memory or useful piece of information to bring to future visits.
2. That it is possible that the online visit had challenging moments, and/or brought up strong emotions and that you might value a little time to restore yourself after this.
The purpose of this resource is to offer a structure for thinking back over the visit and the things you would like to hold on to from the visit, and anything you might like to let go of.