'Uplifted' Royal Navy veterans suffering from dementia given new lease of life by RBL network in Gosport
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Laughs and singing filled the room as the Royal British Legion hosted one of its monthly sessions
Isolated veterans suffering from dementia often feel as if no one is there to help - but support groups organised by the Royal British Legion (RBL) seek to change that.
Former personnel in the Royal Navy and armed forces have been fostering strong emotional bonds at the Christchurch Centre in Stoke Road, Gosport. Here, the RBL hosts Kitbags - a monthly support group for veterans with dementia.
Cliff Cropley, 61, is the group facilitator and served in the Navy for nine years, reaching the rank of Leading Hand. After previously working as a dementia support worker with the Alzheimer’s Society, he knew he wanted to set up a specific group for veterans.
He told The News: “Often if the person with dementia is a veteran, they would start talking about their service life. Their carers would say ‘they never usually talk, but they’ve chatted for 45 minutes non-stop’. I made it known that I wanted to make a group for veterans with dementia where they can meet under one roof, where they can share their stories to their hearts content.”
“Uplifted”
Roughly 24 veterans from across the tri-services attend the Gosport sessions every month. It was set up after the popularity of its Portsmouth counterpart soared. Kitbags groups have been running for several years, with programmes also taking place in Stubbington, Fareham, Havant, Winchester, and Petersfield. Cliff said every session sees attendees light up and transform.
“With dementia, things aren’t going well in everyday life,” the Gosport native added. “Their older memories are much more secure, especially those with emotional connection. Going back to service days, you’re focusing on something that makes them feel uplifted and good about themselves. They’re suddenly the point of interest in the room with the knowledge.”
Each session is themed to help the attendees remember things from their youth or service. When The News visited, the focus was on advertising, catch phrases, and jingles from years gone by. Veterans joined in with singing We Are The Ovaltineys in full voice and laughed at the adverts from their past, from Shake and Vac to the Milky Bar kid. Tea and biscuits were shared around the table as the veterans caught up with their friends and shared stories.
Other sessions included visits from serving sailors at HMS Sultan, and ‘My Favourite Place’, where people reminisce about fond locations. Cliff said he wanted to join the Royal Navy when he was ten after seeing a Nelson warship on TV.
“One of the veterans in the room said he was there when I shared it,” he added. “Them and their colleagues inspired me to join the Royal Navy. It came full circle and allowed me to give something back.”
“We want them to know life is there”
Cliff said a few have been with the group since the beginning, even though dementia is progressive and deteriorating condition. Some felt uncomfortable in other groups but found a home here.
“Having that veteran focus really helps,” the RBL organiser said. “It’s camaraderie and we speak the same language. That helps with the unique connection.”
Organisers of the sessions come from a service background and have a registered RBL Admiral nurse in attendance to support carers. Sarah Munday, of Emsworth, has been working at the RBL for just over two years in the role. She was born in Germany and the blood of the British Army runs in the family. She said the Admiral nurse service is only a small part of RBL’s support.
“It’s not just dementia”, she added, “we focus on other conditions as well. The veterans are at the forefront and that’s the most important thing. Any veterans group is a real asset. We need to give them places to have that camaraderie. They can feel that sense and belonging and want to be together. Isolation can happen to them, their carers, and their partners.
“We just want them to get together and know that life is there. It doesn’t always have to be about dementia, and we want to celebrate what they’ve done for our country and give back.”
Sarah said the focus of Kitbags is reminiscing, with attendees deciding on what planned activities they do. She regularly speaks with carers to see how the veterans interact in a social setting.
“People won’t just talk and they’ll struggle in silence,” Sarah added. “That is the service life. It’s about spotting the none-verbal things, and it’s about building rapport and friendship with them so they feel comfortable to disclose things with you that they normally wouldn’t. We’ll keep that confidential and provide them with the care they need.”
June Thomson, of Sarisbury Green, is a volunteer and previously served in Women’s Royal Naval Service (WREN). She also worked in the NHS and her partner is a former submariner. “When you first come along, you don’t know what to expect,” she said. “As time went on, I got to know people and learned how to interact with them. I just kept a smiley happy face on and that’s what they wanted.
“It puts them at ease and shows I’m here to listen. We’re all veterans and there’s a different ethos to life, the way we think, and the humour certainly. That all helps as you understand where they come from. They all have different levels of dementia and the umbrella is quite large. Groups like this gives the carers support, and they all share and bring those memories forward.”
What do the veterans think?
Attendees spoke in glowing terms about Kitbags and how much it means to them. Richard Coomber, of Gosport, served as a Leading Cook in the Royal Navy for 12 years.
He said: “The sessions are very good and they keep my mind active. Cliff is very charismatic and it’s nice to meet different people. I’ve made some new friends and we come here every time when we can. I enjoyed my service and I’m really glad I did it.”
His partner Carole added: “We haven’t missed one yet. We make sure we get here, come hell or high water.”
Joe Walton, of Gosport, served in the Navy for 25 years and retired as an Artificer and later Instructor. He said: “Seeing other folks that have been in the services is great, so are the tea and biscuits of course. I enjoy coming to these sessions. My dad was in the merchant Navy, and he told me the Royal Navy would look after me. I started at HMS Visguard in Cornwall, and then to HMS Caledonia. I’m so proud of my service.”
Roger Pike reached the rank of Chief Petty Officer in the medical corp during his 22-year career. He said the sessions were amusing and it was nice to see other veterans. “You listen and recall things better,” he said. “People like us have all done the same sort of thing. It’s really good. I’ve been five times. We’re great grandparents and there’s lots of them. We had our three, and now we’ve got little great granddaughters, tiny things.”
His partner Jean added: “The sessions are really nice, especially when they have the young people from HMS Sultan. It’s nice to talk to them as they’re still serving, and you can find out what they’re doing. It’s nice to know the Admiral nurses are here and they can give you moral support. They do fabulous work.”
“There’s never enough help”
Caring for veterans has been given more focus by political parties in recent months. The Armed Forces Covenant, which the government has enshrined in law, requires public bodies and local authorities to have ‘due regard’ for the Armed Forces community to prevent disadvantage in public and commercial services.
Cliff believes this is a step in the right direction but more support is needed. He added: “There’s never enough. It definitely needs to be more. A lot of the public don’t realise those in the services thrive with the British Legion, and many wouldn’t know about the specialised Admiral Nurse service, who support the carer looking after those with dementia. Veterans see the RBL logo and it’s something they recognise and bond with.”
If you would like to find out more about KitBags or the Admiral Nurse service, call the RBL Helpline on 0808 802 8080 or visit the RBL website.