My Life Films

Our My Life Films App allows users to upload personal photos and music to create a personalised life story film that can be downloaded and watched on any device. This easy-to-use app lets people with dementia, their careers and family members make their own film. It is suitable for a person with dementia to use in the early stages of the illness, or a carer/family member to use with them in the later stages.

The app is based on filmmaking techniques adapted by My Life Films. We are a charity that uses filmmaking to improve the lives of people living with dementia. We make free films that tell their life stories, celebrating memories and shifting the focus away from the illness. Our personalised films improve quality of life and quality of care. Our work is funded by donations, grants and community fundraising and our mission is to make a film package available for every person with dementia in the UK.

Research has shown that reminiscence therapy has a number of benefits when it comes to dementia. A person living with dementia is more able to recall memories by looking at photos from the early stages of their life. Music is an effective resource for people living with dementia as it has been found to reduce anxiety and depression, in addition to helping maintain speech and language.

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust worked with My Life Films to test the value of biographical films for people in residential care homes with diagnoses of dementia. The study had a number of very positive findings and was recently published in the ‘Journal of Clinical Psychology’. See more about our NHS case study here: https://mylifefilms.org/our-impact/

We have countless stories of the positive impact of our Life Story films and a newly published independent NHS research pilot has shown that when a Life Story film is viewed it triggers positive memories, raises self-esteem and confidence, and improves communication with family members.

Make your own personalised reminiscence film.

How the app works - a step-by-step guide:

1) Select who the film is for and give the film a title
2) Add a title photo of the person who the film is for, starting from the early years
3) Add a final photo of the star of the film, a more recent choice
4) Select up to 80 photos to include in the film
5) Use the collaboration function to collect photos from family and friends directly into the app
6) Select your favourite in-app music tracks to the film
6) Share the film with friends or family by using the collaboration button or download your film to watch it on any device

The app-created films will have two main functions:

· Providing positive reminiscence which boosts mood and improves the wellbeing of people with dementia
· Providing a personal introduction for new care workers, enabling them to communicate better and to provide more person-centred care.

Everyone who sees our work in action becomes one of our supporters. For example, Sarah Cocker, Services Manager for the Alzheimer’s Society in Hounslow and Ealing, said that “We’ve had such positive feedback from the people who we know who have taken up the service. There’s a need everywhere for it”.