Released in time for National Afternoon Tea Week (14-20 August), the company hopes that this will provide the ideal opportunity to engage with older members of the community, and to bond through the DVDs and life after World War II.
Managing director of Living Memories, Brian Norris, said: "Each of the DVDs contains a number of film clips from the archives of Greenpark Productions Ltd, which was set up in 1938 and is owned by my wife, Leonore. Each DVD covers different aspects of life in the decades after World War 2 and it is very unusual for them not to trigger memories for anyone who grew up in those decades. They are particularly helpful for anyone living with dementia, who may be stimulated by something they hear or see in the films.
"We have spent several years testing the use of the films with groups of older people and one-to-one, including those with dementia and the positive responses and stories we have been told by people who otherwise seem quite withdrawn have been heartwarming. We all have cherished memories, but sometimes it takes something special to stimulate wanting to talk about them. These films seem to hit the spot!
"Our aim is to create more DVDs, each of which has a Reminiscence Guide which suggests questions to ask and topics to discuss after watching each film clip on the DVD. The Guide is particularly helpful for anyone who works with or cares for older people, but is not familiar with life in the UK in the mid-20th century.
"We find that watching the DVDs can also stimulate conversation between grandparents and grandchildren, which can sometimes help younger ones to get a better insight on life when it was possible to play in the streets, see and hear the milkman with horse and cart and wash clothes in the ‘twin tub’. Those were the days!"
For more information or to purchase a DVD, visit: www.living-memories.net.