Robert

What would you say would be your message to other people who are feeling they’ve got some memory problems?

Just try and keep busy, get something to do, keep you occupied, and think about, you know, think about things that you used to do; get your family together, if you have got them, and have a good laugh about things that you used to do or that you think was stupid [laughs] yeah, just keep busy. Join a group, walking group or even a group that play some games or the other.

It was the dominoes that reminded me because there was.

That’s right, uh huh.

So how did, how did you find that? Did you enjoy going there or?

Yeah, it was, it bring back a lot of memory, yeah, a lot of memory. They, they call them grip but it, they’re suitcase now, they call them grip, so I had a little brown grip, something like that, that I fetch in this country [laughs] it really does bring back memory. Everybody used to just fold their clothes neat, neatly and, you know, set it in it and set off, uh huh.

So, so that fairly small suitcase, grip [laughs] would, would be, that would be all you would have arrived with? 

Arrived with- and a little bag with shoes and thing like that. All the clothes were really, you know, fold neatly in the suitcase and you’ve got a bag, a handbag, your shoes and thing would be in it. But all the trousers and shirt- because we never wear a suit in Jamaica, I only get a suit when I was coming here.

Oh right. 

Yeah, I came in a nice pinstripe suit and a trilby hat [laughs] and, because we never wear a suit in Jamaica, we just, we go in the church, we just go with the shirt and, and because it’s warm they don’t; it’s only the older fellas, you know, who travel used to wear suit, but we never bother with suits, we just go out there and never realise what, what [laughs] that this country was a cold country, unless you’re wrapped up [laughs].

So, after I go walking, I just go straight to the meeting.

Right, OK.

Yeah.

So, do you walk with, with somebody?

Yeah, called step out [city], it’s walking group.

Oh right.

That’s step out [city]

So, is that in the town, in the hills?

No, up in, in this area, yeah, we base in this area.

Oh. So that’s a group of people then?

Yeah, we meet every Tueday.

In the rain?

Whether it rain or not; well, if it’s raining too bad we, we don’t go, or it’s snowing bad we don’t, we don’t go.

No, not in the, because these roads, these hills would be, would be treacherous in the snow.

They are, they are; we try and, go across [laughs] we try, try and go across; we, we find a few walk in a few areas now we can go across. We go uphill a little bit and then we go across.

Yeah, yeah, that’s.

So, it, we find it easier because it’s like two walk, one fast and one slow; so, I’m in the slow walk [laughs].

Oh right, OK.

Yeah. We walk for about a hour, hour and a half sometimes.

Oh, that’s good then. Do, so do, do you feel, do you feel better for that then? Do you feel a benefit of that?

Yeah, I look forward for, for that, an activity, yeah.

Yeah, I like going to church. And we play dominoes as well; so, my great pleasure, you know, is to get a game of dominoes on a Thurday evening, Friday evening, went to [Community Group], and we all go up there and have a game of dominoes. Sometime we play domino, you know, different people come from different counties and come to play.

Ah right.

Yeah.

Competitive dominoes then? 

Just friendly, more or less [laughter]. 

More or less.

Yeah, yeah. We play to win [laughs].

Of course, yes.

Yeah, yes.

Yeah.

Mm.

So, is that, so I’ve heard people talk about dominoes quite a bit; so, is that something that is, something you’ve done for a long time?

Yeah, well it’s like a pastime, because when I first came here people used to go and sit in the house and have a game of dominoes, because there wasn’t many churches accept us; like on a Sunday evening people who know each other, we used to meet at each other’s home if you can get room and we all used to sit down and have a game of dominoes. Yeah, just things that people use, used from the Caribbean, you know, that’s game of dominoes, keep you going. Help you to concentrate as well, help you, you to know numbers and everything.

So, the other thing you go to is the memory hub that they’ve just started at [social care support centre].

[social care support centre], yeah.

And how did you hear about that?

Well actually [facilitator] sent me a text message.

Oh.

Yeah, and I thought I’ll go and, you know, listen, go and listen to it, to what they’re saying.

Because they; what sort of things do you do there?

We talk about things, you know, that, that you used to do when we were young and things that we, we remember really, we talk about it.

So, sort of reminiscing as well then? 

Yes, yeah, mm.

And, and do they do any other sort of exercises or tips to help you with your memory?

Yeah, they, they do old songs, you know, old, old songs that bring back memory and talk about where we used to go, and this were some from, about Jamaica and the market or different places through the different Caribbean islands.

Because of course the other thing we did recently was we went to the [museum] Exhibition.

Exhibition, yes, yeah.

Windrush Exhibition. It was the dominoes that reminded me because there was.

That’s right, uh huh.

So how did, did, how did you find that? Did you enjoy going there or? 

Yeah, it was, it brings back a lot of memory, yeah, a lot of memory. They, they call them grip but it, they’re suitcase now, they call them grip, so I, I, I had a little brown grip, something like that, that I fetch in this country [laughs] it really does bring back memory. Everybody used to just fold their clothes neat, neatly and, you know, set it in it and set off, uh huh.

So, so that fairly small suitcase, grip [laughs] would, would be, that would be all you would have arrived with?

Arrived with; and, and a little bag with shoes and thing like that. All the clothes were, were really, you know, fold neatly [I laughs] in the suitcase and you’ve got a bag, a, handbag, your shoes and thing would, would be in it, but all the trousers and shirt; because we, we never wear a suit in Jamaica, I only get a suit when I was coming here.

Well, the doctor says it’s because you get older you forgetful, yeah [laughs].

So, you’ve asked your doctor about it then?

Yeah, we went, doctor, we went yesterday.

Oh.

Went yesterday because my daughter is concern about my memory; and he said “Well” I don’t reach that stage yet that I have to, you know, do anything with; it, it’s come down to old age.

That’s what the GP said?

That’s what the GP said, yes.

So, he’s not wanting you to go for any assessments, he just says.

Yeah, yes, that’s what he said, yes.

Live with it?

Yes, yeah.

And how do you feel about that then?

I just, well, you know, if it’s what, if that’s what he thinks, well might as well just carry on.

Mm hmm, mm hmm.

Yeah.

So, he didn’t suggest any sort of help or, you know, kind of techniques to, to help you along?

No, no, he didn’t, he didn’t at all; he just said, well if I can remember things, you know, way back and remember things, well he says not as bad [laughs].

So, he’s just sort of saying just, just crack on and…?

Yeah, just carry on, yes.