Inspiration
We hope the family stories of the collages we've created inspire you to create your own.
Barbara: A twin, a wife, and a mom of five boys
It was a challenge for Barbara Thompson’s son to choose a mix of photos that would tell the story of her youth with her twin sister and her life as a family woman managing five handsome men (six, if you count her husband).
"It’s amazing... powerful and thoughtful." — Barbara's son
Studies have shown that for people living with dementia, memories from the teens and twenties remain the strongest. This informed the choice of photos. A more recent family photo gave context to Barbara’s life in the present. Barbara’s son was also able to find a family friend's painting of their beloved farm, so we gave it a prominent position by using it in the collage background.
Many of Barbara's caregivers knew her story, and to their delight, when the collage arrived, those stories came to life.
Mary: Our prototype darling
For Mary, a proud grandmother with a beautiful smile, the sweetest beau, and a deep love of dressing up to go out, we created collages from older black-and-white photos and more recent full-colour photos.
"We were very excited to present the collage to our grandmother. She discussed each photo with us with a smile, reflecting back on her life and meaningful moments. She's always proud to display photos of her family; with this collage she can showcase pieces of her own story." — Mary's granddaughter
The feedback from Mary's granddaughter is a ringing testimonial of why we do what we do.
Paul: Reveal party superstar
Paul, father of five, grandfather of 12, moved into long-term care in Halifax in the spring of 2020, one week before lockdown. His wife waited 64 days to see him. Meanwhile, we worked with Paul's daughter to create a beautiful collage for him. Every photo offers something for family, care partners, or visitors to talk about.
When we sent Paul’s collage to Halifax, the whole Flinn family gathered (responsibly) for an unveiling to celebrate him, his adventures, his accomplishments, and the wonderful person he is.
Paul's wife sent us a note, saying, "I just want to thank you for doing such a fine job of making Paul’s [collage]. It is the real focal point in Paul’s room. It has already done what it is supposed to do: initiated conversation and reminiscing.”
His family tells us he looks at his Reminisart collage a lot. We couldn't be happier.
A gift for caregivers and care teams
If you are a Designated Family Caregiver or member of your community’s Residents' Association, a prominently-placed collage honouring the wonderful people in your home will let them know how much they are valued.
