Kitchen nostalgia brings back memories for STARS patients

STARS patients recently participated in a cooking themed reminiscing session in the Level 5 dining room. Reminiscing is recognised as a valuable activity for elderly patients and patients with dementia and includes the use of props or prompts like pictures, physical objects and songs to recall memories from the past.

The patients were presented with a range of vintage kitchen utensils including a rotary whisk, wire flour sifter, bone handled cutlery, ice cream scoop, enamel cookware, lemon juicer and a Margaret Fulton cookbook.

Recreation Officer David Frame has seen first-hand the benefits that reminiscing sessions bring to patients.

“The sessions provide patients with an opportunity to think back to earlier times and this can have a positive impact on their mood and wellbeing. The sessions can also foster connections between patients by sharing similar experiences or memories,” David said.

“The vintage cooking theme session really brought back fond memories for the patients. They recalled lots of the vintage items, and you could really see how some sparked a particular recollection from the past. The patients recalled times when people cooked for them in their childhoods and, also of them preparing food for their own families.”

Patient Maureen recalled many of the vintage cooking items, particularly the rotary whisk.

“I remember that – the children ran around chasing each other with it,” Maureen said.

“I used to make cakes and ice them with royal icing and patty cakes and scones – Flo’s pumpkin scone recipe was the best.”

Patient Sammy also had very fond memories of the ice cream scoop and rotary whisk.

“My nan used to make strawberry shortcake and I always remember it as it was also her nickname for me,” Sammy said.

“She also taught me how to use the ice-cream scoop – you dip it in hot water first so that it makes the ice-cream easier to scoop.”

David will continue to provide reminiscing type activities, with school day reminiscing another favourite with the patients.