PICTURES: Alzheimer Scotland to offer new activities in Nairn
A charity is planning to expand activities aimed at helping people living with dementia and their families and carers.
Alzheimer Scotland officially welcomed the first service users to its new base in Seaman's Hall in March.
After settling in, it now hopes more people will be able to join and benefit from what it offers.
Community activities organiser Andy Miller said: "At the moment it is about establishing a group of people who come along and use our service.
"We started with one activity each week to see who would be attending the groups and what they would like to do – you don't want to put on too much, too soon.
"However, from August we plan to start doing seven activities each month. We hope we'll be doing a few more different things.
"They have been well attended so far and they have been ranging from music to arts and games sessions, and then we also go to the Highland Abilty Cycle centre, which is a great place in the area."
Mr Miller primarily works at the pioneering Outdoor Dementia Resource Centre near Aviemore and he said that the centre's focus on the outdoors and nature will also be brought to the Nairn group as part of the new range of activities.
"We have some quite exciting new activities on the horizon," he said.
"We'll bring in a tepee that we'll use, in partnership with the museum, and place it in the community garden.
"Probably we'll pitch it once a month – it can accommodate around 12 people has a stove and comfortable seats. It's a way of being outside, but also keeping cosy and sheltered.
"Living with dementia really tends to limit the opportunities and confidence to go outside. It can feel very isolating. What we aim to create is a safe space for people in similar situations to come together and get involved with activities that are stimulating and good fun.
"Around five families have connected with us so far. We know that there are more people in Nairn wo are living with dementia, so we hope to reach out to them and connect to them and get as many people who may benefit involved as possible.
"It's important to have these activities, for peer support and to socialise, and also for carers of people with dementia.
"There has not been anything like this in Nairn, particularly for people with dementia, so we'd be plugging that gap."
Fiona Keir, from Green Hive, said: "We have been delighted to welcome Alzheimer Scotland into Seaman's Hall.
"Their activities provide a vital support for local families and the hall being used for this purpose is another step towards Green Hive's vision of Seaman's Hall being a sustainable community hub which serves the Nairn and wider Nairnshire community.
"The activities on offer are both varied and popular and we have loved to see (and hear) the participants enjoying themselves."
Anyone interested in Alzheimer Scotland activities can get in touch at AMiller@alzscot.org or visit alzscot.org.