The This is Me mindful life-storytelling board game allows you to explore your life and others’ in a convivial and equitable setting. It offers exploration of, and reflection on, past experiences, current feelings as well as future wants and wishes with family and friends. The This is Me board game is based on ideas of life-storytelling, reminiscence and mindfulness. By integrating these ideas into the board game format, This is Me aims to help people refocus following the dementia diagnosis, to take a positive attitude and manage their lives with confidence.
This is Me consists of a gameboard, 66 question cards, a die and four counters. The board shows a life-story path, divided into decades from childhood to 100+ years. During the game players follow the life-story path to pick corresponding cards. They read out and answer the question on the cards. The other players can answer the same question, or move on to roll the dice anew and pick the next question card. The questions relate to memories, activities, relationships, experiences, achievements, dreams. The questions enable the players to talk and share stories about the different stages of their life. The life-story path leads the players from reminiscing about the past towards what they can and may wish to do in the present and future.
We have developed and evaluated the game with people with dementia in the UK, Germany, The Netherlands and Spain. Its evaluation has had promising results. During the evaluation, people with dementia who played the game in day groups with other people with dementia and caregivers felt that it was enjoyable, that it enabled them to share experiences, learn from and get to know others. Participants enjoyed the social interaction and felt that it could help people get out of isolation and think together with others about the future. You can read more about the evaluation here: Read more…
We have also been working on making the game publicly available. The This is Me game has now been launched in collaboration between the MinD team and dementia wellbeing specialists Relish under the trademarked name All about Us, and it is now for sale on the Relish website and via online retailers: Go to game site…
We would value your feedback if you have tried the game. You can leave any feedback, thoughts and comments here: Leave your feedback…