The work of an Angus dementia project which focuses on members of the farming community will be raised with the Scottish Government.
Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment, Mairi Gougeon, paid a visit to the Farmers Memories Group at Kirrie Connections to see the project in action.
The group was formed to encourage those who spent their working lives connected to the agricultural sector to attend the weekly meetings, share their memories and make new friends.
Hub manager Graham Galloway said: “The farmers memories group encourages people to reminisce about their former employment, using photos, objects and even newspaper cuttings.
“These items start conversations, which helps build social interaction, which is important because isolation is a real issue for people with dementia who live in a rural setting.
“For example, if someone is living in the countryside, they might think nothing of jumping in the car and going a few miles down the road for their messages.
“However, one of the things that can follow from a dementia diagnosis is that a person can have their driving licence taken away.
“If the person doesn’t live on a bus route, then social interaction can become limited.”
Ms Gougeon has promised to raise the work of the group with fellow ministers, especially with colleagues in the health portfolio, and raised the possibility of a further ministerial visit.
She said: “This is the first time that I have been to Kirrie Connections and I am hugely impressed with the work that goes on here – Graham and his team do an amazing job.
“It is hugely important to have a facility like this, especially in a rural area.
“I was delighted to meet members of the group and hear about their work in the agricultural sector, as well as the some of the unique challenges that people living with dementia face in a rural setting.”
Organisers found that even when people in the group had come from different areas, they had often been aware of each other through work connections or contracts.
Mr Galloway also outlined the collaborative work that was being undertaken, including projects with Robert Gordon University and Worcester University.
The Hub is also working with international partners, and its work has attracted the interest of academics from as far afield as Japan.
