Football replays used to tackle Alzheimer's

Published on Wednesday 17 March 2010 21:44

RICHARD only used to speak to reveal what he wanted for dinner or to say that he was going to bed – his will to communicate destroyed by dementia.

• The ball used in the famous 'Wembley Wizards' match

But after joining a group of men sharing their memories of great football games, the grounds and even the food they used to eat, his conversational skills returned.

George Jaconelli, who runs a weekly group in Prestwick, where men with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia meet to revive long-past football memories, said it could have an amazing effect.

Now a study – The Scottish Football Reminiscence Project – has backed this up, showing that dementia sufferers can start to communicate again and see their symptoms reduced, even if just for a short time.

Mr Jaconelli said when Richard first joined the group, he would not even say "good morning" as he was picked up.

"Eventually, something just clicked. He spoke to my son. He spoke to the group. His wife phoned up to say she was amazed at the conversation that was coming out," he said.

"I was talking to another guy, Robert, about how, many years ago, I was a Clyde supporter. He then reeled off the whole team and his eyes just lit up."

At Hampden Park in Glasgow yesterday, the results of the pilot project – where men with dementia were encouraged to talk about football – were unveiled.

Alzheimer Scotland, which supported the trial, now hopes to take it forward so men across the country can benefit.

Professor Debbie Tolson, from Glasgow Caledonian University, which evaluated the project, said: "A lack of social stimulation is harmful for people with dementia. It exaggerates the impact of the condition. It can lead to depression and it encourages people to withdraw into themselves.

"What we have found is that football reminiscence is both enjoyable and appears to have many benefits."

Prof Tolson said the benefits lasted for a few hours or a few days in different people.

"It is not a cure for dementia, but it is something positive we can do. There is not a lot provided for men with dementia," she said.

The study looked at how football reminiscence could be delivered in different ways, including community groups, one-to-one sessions with club historians and groups meeting in care homes.

"We found that it encouraged people to converse, that it seemed to offset some of the low mood, that it certainly helped people deal with some of the feelings of frustration," Prof Tolson said.

The research has been given the backing of Motherwell and former Scotland manager Craig Brown. Yesterday, he spoke of Ally MacLeod, the former Aberdeen and Scotland manager who died in 2004 after battling dementia.

"A sufferer of Alzheimer's was a very good friend of mine and arguably the most illustrious, legendary Scotland manager," he said.

Brown said MacLeod had been invited to do the Scottish cup draw while he was suffering from the condition. "You would have thought you had given that guy a lottery win. He felt so proud."