Hello, my name is Michelle and I lead the Creative Ageing programme at Givin’ it Laldie. For the last 6 ½ years, I’ve been lucky to meet and work with wonderful people in the Gorbals community.
I lead weekly sessions in both McNeill Street and Moffat Street Dementia Units. These sessions focus on the interests of each resident. I am fortunate to work here on a weekly basis, allowing me the opportunity to build strong relationships and really get to know everyone. The needs of residents living with dementia are varied and these sessions are tailored towards the individual.
I do weekly sessions in Sheltered Housing Complex’s. We explore a new theme or artist each week chosen by the tenants. This leads to great sing songs, conversations, and sometimes a bit of dancing. Some of our recent themes include: The Rat Pack, Queen, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. There is often a bit of knitting and crotchet thrown in and because many of the ladies in the sheltered Housing are such keen and talented knitters, for the winter months, we have started a Stitch and Sing theme to our sessions.
Each month, alongside piano player James, I perform interactive shows at the Sheltered Housing Complex’s in the Gorbals. These shows are one of the highlights of the month and we aim to create a real sense of occasion with these concerts for the sheltered housing community. It is fantastic we can bring the shows directly to the tenants in their shared common room in the complex’s, allowing people with limited mobility to attend and enjoy the concerts with their neighbours. The success of these events is thanks to the tenants, Mary and Eleanor. I am delighted to collaborate with Mary at Northgate, Devon Street and Silver Fir Court and Eleanor at Blackfriars Sheltered Housing to curate these special events.
Thank you to the Scottish Power Foundation, Impact Funding Partners and Glasgow Communities Fund for supporting this piece of work.