Guest Blog - "Hats On!" - Debbie Bending

This Guest Blog, "Hats On!", has been sent in by Debbie Bending, who is a Dementia Advisor and facilitator for two 'Memory Matters' memory cafes in Plymouth. She has also been running a voluntary memory cafe for the past 8 years.

Hats, with their long history as practical items, symbols of status, and fashion statements, have naturally found their way into many idioms and proverbs in the English language. Here are some of the most common (you could complete these together by way of a shout out):

Common Idioms About Hats:

• At the drop of a hat: Immediately, without hesitation, or at the slightest provocation.

  • Example: She's ready to travel anywhere at the drop of a hat.

• Eat one's hat: To express disbelief that something will happen, often implying one would do something impossible if it did.

  • Example: If he actually finishes that project on time, I'll eat my hat!

• A feather in one's cap: An achievement, honor, or something to be proud of.

  • Example: Winning that award was definitely a feather in her cap.

• Hat in hand: Showing humility, submission, or respectfully asking for something.

  • Example: He came to his boss, hat in hand, asking for another chance.

• Hats off to (someone): An expression of respect, admiration, or commendation for someone's achievement or effort.

  • Example: Hats off to the team for pulling off such a successful event!

• Keep it under your hat: To keep something a secret; not to reveal information.

  • Example: I'll tell you the news, but you have to keep it under your hat.

• Mad as a hatter: Completely crazy, eccentric, or insane. (Originates from the mercury poisoning suffered by hat makers in the past).

  • Example: After working non-stop for days, she was going mad as a hatter.

• Old hat: Old-fashioned, outdated, or something that is no longer new or exciting.

  • Example: That technology is old hat now; everyone uses something more advanced.

• Put on one's thinking cap: To think carefully and deeply about a problem or situation.

  • Example: We need to put on our thinking caps to solve this tricky puzzle.

• Talk through one's hat: To talk nonsense or speak about something without understanding the facts.

  • Example: He was talking through his hat when he tried to explain quantum physics.

• Throw one's hat into the ring: To announce one's intention to compete or participate in a contest, election, or challenge.

  • Example: She decided to throw her hat into the ring and run for mayor.

• Wear many hats: To have many different roles, responsibilities, or jobs.

  • Example: As a small business owner, she has to wear many hats every day.

• Hold on to your hats: An exclamation used to warn people that something exciting, surprising, or difficult is about to happen.

  • Example: Hold on to your hats, folks, this roller coaster is about to take off!

• Passing the hat (around): To collect money from a group of people, usually for a specific cause or as a collection for someone.

  • Example: We passed the hat around to help our colleague whose house flooded.

These idioms provide colourful ways to express various situations, often drawing on historical practices or symbolic meanings associated with hats.

Here's an outline for a Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) activity based on wearing different hats, designed to stimulate various cognitive domains.

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Activity: "Hats On!"

Theme: Exploring identity, roles, memories, and creativity through the wearing of different hats.

Target Audience: Individuals with mild to moderate dementia.

Cognitive Domains Targeted:

 * Memory (Episodic, Semantic, Autobiographical): Recalling past experiences, knowledge, and personal memories associated with hats.

 * Language (Receptive & Expressive): Understanding instructions, describing hats, sharing stories, vocabulary recall.

 * Executive Functioning (Planning, Problem-Solving, Abstract Thinking): Categorizing hats, deciding which hat to wear for a scenario, creative thinking.

 * Attention/Concentration: Focusing on the hats, listening to others, participating in discussions.

 * Visuospatial Skills: Recognizing different hat styles, describing shapes and colours.

 * Social Cognition: Group interaction, turn-taking, sharing.

 * Emotional Regulation: Expressing feelings, reminiscing positively.

Materials:

 * A diverse collection of hats (e.g., fedora, baseball cap, sun hat, cowboy hat, chef's hat, hard hat, party hat, fascinator, woolly hat, cultural hats if appropriate and respectful). Ideally, clean and varied in style, material, and associated roles.

 * Large mirror (optional, but helpful for self-reflection).

 * Music player with various genres of music (optional, for background or associated with certain hats).

 * Pictures of people wearing different hats (optional, for discussion prompts).

 * Whiteboard or large paper and markers for listing ideas.

 * Props associated with specific hats (e.g., a small pan for a chef's hat, a toy shovel for a hard hat – ensure safety).

Session Structure (Approx. 45-60 minutes):

I. Introduction & Warm-Up (5-10 minutes)

 * Welcome and Name Badges: Greet participants, ensure everyone is comfortable.

 * Introduction of Theme: "Today, we're going to have some fun with hats! Hats can tell us a lot about people, places, and jobs. They can also bring back wonderful memories."

 * Icebreaker Question: "Does anyone remember the first hat they ever owned, or a special hat they once had?" (Encourage brief sharing).

 * Sensory Engagement: Pass around a couple of hats for participants to feel the textures and look closely at them.

II. Main Activity: Hat Exploration & Discussion (30-40 minutes)

 * Presentation of Hats: Lay out all the hats on a table or in a box where participants can see them clearly.

 * Hat Identification & Description:

   * Pick up one hat at a time.

   * Question: "What kind of hat is this?" "What colour is it?" "What is it made of?" (Encourage participants to identify and describe).

   * Function/Purpose: "Who might wear this hat?" "Why would they wear it?" (e.g., chef's hat for cooking, hard hat for safety).

   * Associated Activities/Memories: "What do you think of when you see this hat?" "Does it remind you of a particular event or person?" (e.g., sun hat – holidays, gardening; party hat – celebrations).

 * Role-Playing/Imagination (Voluntary):

   * Encourage participants to choose a hat they'd like to try on.

   * Prompt: "If you were wearing this hat, what would you be doing?" "How would you feel?" "What kind of person might wear this hat?" (e.g., if wearing a cowboy hat: "Are you riding a horse?" "Are you in the wild west?").

   * Facilitator Tip: Be prepared to gently guide and prompt, offering suggestions if participants struggle.

 * Categorization/Sorting (Group Activity):

   * "Let's sort these hats into groups." (e.g., "Hats for work," "Hats for fun," "Hats for special occasions," "Hats for different weather").

   * Question: "Why do you think this hat belongs in that group?" (Encourages reasoning).

 * "My Favourite Hat" (Individual & Group Share):

   * Ask each participant to choose their favourite hat from the collection.

   * Prompt: "Why is this your favourite?" "What memories does it bring back?" "If you could wear this hat anywhere, where would you go?"

   * Encourage sharing within the group.

III. Creative & Reflective Conclusion (5-10 minutes)

 * Story/Memory Sharing: "Thinking about all these hats, what's a funny or memorable story you have involving a hat?" (Keep it light and positive).

 * Positive Affirmation: "Hats are wonderful, just like all of you! You've shared so many great ideas and memories today."

 * Review of Activity: Briefly recap some of the hat types and ideas discussed. "We talked about hats for work, for fun, and for celebrations."

 * Thank You & Preview: Thank everyone for their participation. Announce the next activity or session.

Adaptations for Different Levels:

 * For more severe cognitive impairment: Focus more on sensory engagement (feeling hats), simple identification (name the colour), and single-word responses. Use fewer hats.

 * For higher functioning individuals: Encourage more elaborate storytelling, deeper discussions about the cultural significance of hats, or even a collaborative story creation using different hat-wearing characters.

Facilitator Notes:

 * Flexibility is Key: Be prepared to follow the lead of the participants and adapt the activity based on their engagement and responses.

 * Positive Reinforcement: Praise all contributions, no matter how small.

 * Create a Safe Environment: Ensure participants feel comfortable sharing and trying things.

 * Maintain Dignity: Avoid treating participants like children.

 * Engage All Senses: Encourage touch, visual inspection, and even listening (if playing music).

 * Connect to Personal Lives: Always try to link the activity back to the participants' own experiences and memories.

Some photos from Debbie "Hats On!" CST activity ...

Here are some other ideas for a hat box ...

Here are some songs that you might like to play during the session ...

Songs with "Hat" in the Title:

• "You Can Leave Your Hat On" - Joe Cocker (originally Randy Newman)

• "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" - Paul Young (originally Marvin Gaye)

• "All Around My Hat" - Steeleye Span

• "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" - Fred Astaire

• "Raspberry Beret" - Prince & The Revolution

  
  

Songs with prominent lyrical references to hats:

• "A Day in the Life" - The Beatles ("Found my coat and grabbed my hat...")

• "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations ("Wherever he laid his hat was his home...")

• "Gentle on My Mind" - Glen Campbell ("And a dirty hat pulled low across my face...")

• "Karma Chameleon" - Culture Club (features the line "I'm a man without conviction, I'm a man who wears a hat")

• "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5 (often associated with Michael Jackson's famous fedora)

• "My Old Man's a Dustman" - Lonnie Donegan ("He wears a dustman's hat...")

• "Strawberry Fields Forever" - The Beatles (John Lennon wore a hat in the iconic music video)