A NEW museum scheme has been rolled out to help older people share memories of happy times and avoid loneliness.

The Oxford Museums Partnerships has developed the Prescription for Reminiscence scheme to host activity groups across several museums and bring together the elderly most at risk of isolation.

Visitors can now be referred by hospitals or GPs to the groups which aim to unlock distant memories with tales and historic item displays.

The partnership is made up of the Museum of Oxford and the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock, the Oxford University Museums and Banbury Museum.

Oxfordshire County Council museum service learning and access manager Gill Munday has been organising the partnership with Museum of Oxford Reminiscence officer Helen Fountain.

She said: “It is to help benefit older people.

“The thing is to encourage others in the area to refer people if they have clients who are a bit lonely and it is something slightly different to the usual day care.

“I think it is really about the agenda for older people becoming so important, the ageing time bomb as it were. It is important for older people to have a voice and really nice to recognise and honour their memories.”

The scheme was launched at the Creative Dementia Arts Network Conference at St Hugh’s College in Oxford on April 16.

It will work through referrals from healthcare providers or organisations working with vulnerable older people.

Many people who work in the industry or with groups for older people attended the conference and the scheme has already been taking enquiries.

Once a person has been referred they will be given details about the reminiscence groups available across museums.

Oxford University Museums Partnership Manager Lucy Shaw said: “The programme has been developed through many years of experience in delivering an excellent service to older people in Oxford.”

More information can be found online for the various reminiscence groups available across the Oxfordshire museums There are no fees associated with the scheme, just small donations recommended for refreshments.

For further information please visit oxford.gov.uk

Oxford University Museums Partnership is delighted to be supporting the Museum of Oxford with its innovative Prescriptions for Reminiscence programme.