As the second stage of the World Cup begins in earnest, it has emerged that Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland is mounting a proposal to roll out internationally a football reminiscences project that has already had startling results in stimulating the memories of men with dementia in Scotland.              

In March, new research conducted by the university together with the Scottish Football Museum, Alzheimer Scotland and member clubs of the Scottish Football Heritage Network revealed that showing football memorabilia to men with dementia stimulates their memories with quite remarkable results.

The project used match photographs and programmes as the subject of one-to-one or group discussions over a period of 12 months and found that the men responded tremendously well to the memorabilia and were able to chat with others about their memories of players and events.

The wife of one of the men involved in the study, said: “I drive here with this sad person with dementia and I take home my husband.”                

The overriding consensus is that there is more scope for the use of football in stimulating the mind.   

Releasing the findings in March alongside Motherwell and ex-Scotland Football Manager, Craig Brown, Professor Debbie Tolson, Director of Glasgow Caledonian University’s centre for evidence based care of older people said: “This was a fascinating study that revealed impressive results. The men’s life-long interest in football connected them to their former selves and shared memories. There is very little provided specifically for men with dementia and this is a welcome and positive innovation.”  

Dr Irene Schofield of Glasgow Caledonian University led the study – collecting data and undertaking analysis – while Professor Tolson was a co-researcher bringing her internationally recognised expertise in realistic evaluation methodologies to bear.

Professor Tolson added: “We have had a tremendous response to this research, with Canada considering adopting the same principle with ice hockey.  At the moment, I am gathering together a group of researchers to mount a proposal to roll out the concept to other European countries.”             

Football memories brightening lives

The original project was funded by Museums and Galleries Scotland working alongside Alzheimer Scotland, Culture and Sport Glasgow, the Scottish Library and Information Council and a number of football clubs from around Scotland.

Robert Craig, Chairman of the Scottish Football Museum, commented: “It is great that football memories stretching over many years can brighten the lives of people suffering from dementia.”

When the original project was launched, Henry Simmons Chief Executive Alzheimer Scotland added: "This is a truly innovative and imaginative project and Alzheimer Scotland is extremely happy to have been involved from its earliest stages. The Scottish Football Museum has not only created a marvellous tool for engaging with men with dementia, but also ensured that research was carried out in the pilot, providing an impressive body of evidence.”

Meanwhile, another academic at Glasgow Caledonian University – Professor Hugh O’Donnell of the Caledonian Business School – has been researching what he calls “the cultural capital of football” and is feeding into Professor Tolson’s project.  He said: “People use football to structure the memory of their lives.  They may not be able to especially recall 2010, but they will remember whether their team won or lost at the World Cup.”

Professor O’Donnell has also made studies of how the media cover major sporting events across the world and has just finished a paper on the Tartan Army (the term of endearment use to describe Scottish football fans). 

More information: http://www.gcu.ac.uk/newsevents/news/bydate/2010/1/name,11304,en.html