What is it about?
We looked at the impact of an exercise and sports group provided by Notts County Football in the Community for men with working age dementia. We interviewed the men attending the group, their carers (their wives) and the coaching staff running the group. Using thematic analysis, we identified some key themes about what made the group successful. These themes were: loss, anticipation and enjoyment, lack of resources and what we referred to as the Notts County effect, which was about the way the group provided a space in which the participants could temporarily get away from their dementia.
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Why is it important?
Dementia is a common problem and it is important to provide meaningful and enjoyable activities for people who have the condition.
Perspectives
I enjoyed doing this project. The club were great people to work with and the members of the group made us very welcome. The study has made me think more about what makes some activities very effective for people with dementia, and it has led to other research. In addition, we were able to support Notts County Football in the Community in bids for further funding, as this sort of work is often run on short-term money and keeping the group going is a constant challenge.
Professor Tom Dening
University of Nottingham
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Football and dementia: A qualitative investigation of a community based sports group for men with early onset dementia, Dementia, November 2014, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/1471301214560239.
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