Ringing Forums

A friend of ours has sadly developed dementia. She was a very capable tower bell ringer, and handbell ringer, both for tunes and changes. She still rings handbells to a limited extent for a short time and seems to enjoy being capable of doing so.

However, this may be different depending on the style of tune ringing that Vicki's contact used. Eg, if she rang tunes with 2 bells in hand, then some rounds and call changes on 6 may be feasible for her. But If she rang tunes 'off the table', or '4 in hand', then 2 bells for changes may be more challenging to pick up.

If the person concerned tries to ring handbells and enjoys 'having a go', as long as the bells are not at risk of being dropped or being damaged, does it matter what sound is made (within reason!)? They may feel very satisfied with their accomplishments.

Ringingroom and a supportive group of ringing friends could be useful in this situation.

As a sufferer of reduced cognitive functioning for some 15 years now I advocate providing the environment in which someone with this, be it dementia or any other cause, be allowed to TEACH! This sounds counterintuitive but, believe me, for at least a little time it can open the floodgates. Passing on knowledge somehow causes temporary remission of the inhibiting factors underlying cognitive dysfunction. The degree to which someone is inhibited dictates how far she/he is incapacitated. The lady mentioned might or might not now be considered competent to give full instruction in tower or handbell ringing, but the act of passing on her knowledge in the familiar surroundings of a ringing room will have therapeutic effects that will be evidenced by her volubility and dexterity. As we age, communal activities can make a significant contribution to conserving communication and motor skills, and can be of especial merit for early-onset dementia, short-term memory dysfunction, etc in that they can help sustain cognitive function. Passing on our own acquired skills is hard-wired into the human condition and any steps to provide this lady with the opportunity to do so are to be applauded.