Researchers at the University of Swansea’s Dementia Research Group designed a qualitative research study into the effect of our project on older people’s memory and mood. We carried out the research in September, with members from our Crossgates Good Neighbours Group. This autumn, lead researcher Dr Kyle Jones will assess the results and produce a report.

“Previous research shows that engaging in novel and cognitively stimulating tasks provides a form of compensation that rebuffs the impact of cognitive decline,” says Dr Jones, who is co-director of Swansea’s Dementia Research Group.

Across the globe, researchers are excited by the concept of ‘cognitive reserve’: the idea that particular activities protect your brain against dementia and general cognitive decline. It’s never too late to start: even people living with dementia can benefit. To have an effect on cognitive reserve, activities should be:

• Challenging: having to pay active attention, and work with others, gives the brain a powerful workout.
• Social: doing an activity with others is much better for the brain than doing a crossword alone.
• Following a story with different characters: reading a play is more beneficial than, for instance, reading a newspaper

More than 150 older people have enjoyed our comedy clubs project. We partnered with:

• A care home in Warwick
• Two MHA retirement-living complexes in Leeds
• Three community groups for people still living in their own homes in Yorkshire.
• We also ran a Zoom group, in partnership with MHA Communities, Huddersfield.

All the plays we use can be performed by older people with physical and cognitive challenges. There’s no physical acting as all stage directions are described by a narrator. And every character’s part is highlighted, so people with dementia can easily follow the script and enjoy the fun, the challenge, and all the medical benefits.

“The most fun we’ve ever had on a Monday afternoon,” Harold and Brian, KiB Comedy Club members

Thanks to the Pargiter Trust for funding this brilliant project.