Joy and Laughter in a Dementia Unit

My name is Annie Hawkes and my ministry is to those in residential dementia care. As the daughter of someone who had dementia, I realised how important faith was to the being of my mother. When so much of her identity was stripped away, her love of Church, her familiarity with the liturgy and faith in Jesus remained long after much of the rest of her life had disappeared. I felt a strong sense of God’s presence in the Dementia unit and a calling to be with people there, to remember God’s People and to remind our faith community about them.

I have spent the last few years visiting a local dementia unit on a Sunday afternoon, a time that does not have formal recreation or diversional activities; Sunday is the sabbath, the Lord’s day, a day when we traditionally gather as a faith community. On a Sunday it is easier to remind everyone why I am there, I wear a large cross and a badge that residents read, sounding out the words, my name, and the tricky name of our Church. These signs prompt memories and discussion about God that is honest and raw.

It is not your usual rest home ministry, those in dementia care can often not read or speak, their histories and memories elude them. Having had the perspective of being a daughter to someone with dementia, I feel more conscious that the residents are beloved members of families, churches and communities and they are not defined by their illness. When I visit, I see them and do whatever is required. I chat to family members who may struggle in the environment or chat with residents – I am an excellent narrator of sixties music! I walk circles of the garden, sing songs, feed lunch or listen to people whom staff may need a pause from.

There is a lot of joy and laughter in a dementia unit. God is present in abundance, when people who can’t speak sing psalms, when people who struggled to live independently sit in the sun as a group sharing life experiences, when someone pats my arm and tells me everything will be alright. I bear witness to the richness of God's love.

Join with us to celebrate Annie’s ordination on 29 May at the Cathedral.