Photographer to launch scrapbook project to help people in Milton Keynes living with dementia

Lisa Marshall-Hill, who lives in Newport Pagnell, plans to visit care homes and families of those living with dementia/Alzheimer’s to help them communicate via a photographic scrapbook.

Said Lisa: “The idea is to encourage people with dementia to build up a scrapbook of historical family photographs, and then take photos to add to the book. “The goal is to create new memories while reminiscing over old ones. This should help to create positive moments in difficult journeys for all those living with Alzheimer’s.”

Lisa’s inspiration and passion for the project came from her late grandfather who loved taking photographs. She added: “When I was growing up I would go out with him, take the shots and then we would make albums together.

“When he developed dementia I visited him in his care home and would take an album for us to go through. Those moments were very special and I have cherished memories from it. I did this for him when I visited and saw how beneficial it was to both of us.

"I realised that this was very important, as it would help us communicate. Sometimes he would remember and sometimes he would look at the photograph as though it was the first time he had seen it; either way it was lovely to go over the memories with him.”

Lisa’s grandfather was her biggest fan and encouraged her to become a professional photographer. She applied to go to university and has just completed a degree course as a mature student, achieving an HND. And it was while studying at the University of Northampton that she decided she wanted to use her photographic skills to help people and set up a non-for- profit organisation to run the scrapbook project.”

Lisa, who suffers with Fibromyalgia and Crohn's disease, added: “It was tough but the passion for the project got me through. I applied for a university grant and was runner-up in The Changemaker People’s Choice award for a project I did at university which was to create images that depict a symptom or behaviour in dementia to raise awareness of the disease and the scrapbook project.”

For more details contact [email protected]