Kissing it Better

A ten-minute chat makes the world of difference

May 2019

Medics say that a good chat every day reduces the agitation and frustration often experienced by people living with dementia. But it has to be a personal conversation, based around happy memories and family stories; talking about medical treatment, or what’s for dinner tonight, will not have the same positive effect.

“People often think there’s nothing you can do about dementia,” says Prof Clive Ballard of Exeter University, who led the study. “What this is suggesting is that simple things, if implemented robustly, can actually make a real difference to quality of life.”

At KiB, we’ve always believed in the power of conversation. All our projects are designed to prompt reminiscence and get older people talking about the good times in their lives.“Recalling happy memories can really improve older people’s confidence and self-esteem,” says KiB CEO Jill Fraser. “This is especially true of people living with dementia. They may struggle to remember recent events, yet their memories of childhood and early adult life can be very good.”