“The aim of everything we do is to create spontaneous conversations, encourage laughter and heighten mood, reducing depression, boredom and isolation so commonly associated with memory loss and dementia”
Our Story
Eric Haworth is the founder and owner of Fine & Dandy and events co-ordinator.
Here he shares his story about how Fine & Dandy, which specialises in activities for older people living with dementia in Lancashire, came to be created
This is me pictured with my father Stan on holiday in Majorca.
Dad was diagnosed with dementia about four years ago and I returned to Blackburn in Lancashire,
where he lives, to take on the role of carer.
Alongside that role I was looking for a way to keep myself stimulated, using the background I have in music and theatre.
By chance at a local memory café I was asked to run a sing-along session.
I really enjoyed it, as did those who took part, and from there came the idea of Fine & Dandy.
It has led to me working closely with a growing number of care homes and retirement villages offering my specially designed sessions,
which I’ve created and developed to make a real positive difference to those who take part.
The aim of everything we do is to create spontaneous conversations, encourage laughter and heighten mood, reducing the depression, boredom and isolation
so commonly associated with memory loss and dementia.
One of my key visits is to Hopwood Court Day Centre, which is run by Age UK, where I run a regular one-hour session for services users.
What I have learnt over the years is that each session has a different kind of energy and I aim to make each sessions stimulating engaging and entertaining.