MEMORY PODS
WHAT IS A MEMORY POD? When my Mum’s dementia developed to the stage where she needed to move into a care home, I struggled to know what to do with the small things she no longer wanted or needed. House keys, library card, guitar picks, jewellery and other knick-knacks, even bras that she found uncomfortable and didn’t want to wear. These were the symbols of her life. They were of no value to anyone else but I didn’t want to throw them away or donate them to charity shops. How might I preserve the symbols of her life while also coping with the ongoing grief that dementia brings? As I so often do when I struggle to cope with challenging life events or times, I make things. This time I turned to art. THE PROCESS OF MAKING A MEMORY POD The process of making a memory pod is more important than the end result. During the making, I reflect on Mum’s life and our relationship. As I choose the objects, as I choose the texture and colour of