1. Sarah Reed
REAL Communication works

2. REAL Communication works
a powerful tool for life and wellbeing
that’s easy and fun to use

3. How can we care for people unless we care
about them?
How can we care about them if we don’t
know who they are?
How can we know who they are, if we don’t
know where they’ve come from?

4. REAL Communication
Reminiscence
Empathic engagement
Active listening
Life story

5. Reminiscence
Reflecting on where we’ve come from
and sharing past experiences.
It helps us to understand each other and our
different experiences.

6. Empathic Engagement
Feeling connection
Understanding
Feeling kindness
Feeling compassion

7. Share your sweet memories with the person
next to you… tell them where you bought
them… what the shop was like… the
shopkeeper… the bag they came in…
who you shared them with… pocket money

8. … See Hear Feel …
How do the other person’s memories
and your own, make you feel?
Share your observations and feelings

9. • Reminiscence
Where we’ve come from and sharing past experiences
• Empathic engagement
Understanding and feeling kindness compassion
• Active listeningis better for all of us when we really
hear each other
• Life story

10. Active Listening
Life is better for all of us, when we really
hear each other

11. I
Sorry, I can’t hear you… Yes I hear you!

15. • Reminiscence
Where we’ve come from and sharing past experiences
• Empathic engagement
Understanding feeling kindness compassion
• Active listening
Life is better for all of us when we really hear each other
• Life story

16. Life story
Everyone’s life experiences
shape and influence who we are today

17. Life story
• We all enjoy talking about our life experiences
• To discover a person's past experiences is to
understand better who they are now
• We also learn about ourselves through the
process, so it’s good for all of us

18. Cast your mind back to being a child...
Tell your partner about
the main door
to your home

19. This might be called
getting under the person’s radar
Knowing a person well
promotes relational care

20. • Reminiscence
Where we’ve come from and sharing past experiences
• Empathic engagement
Understanding feeling kindness compassion
• Active listening
Life is better for all of us when we really hear each other
• Life story
Everyone’s life experiences shape & influence who we
are now

21. REAL Communication works
because it’s a powerful tool for
life and wellbeing
that’s easy and fun to use

22. REAL Communication works
because we all want the
REAL thing

23. Based on The Reminiscence Bump
Our long-term memories are most
often triggered by sensory catalysts

24. Some of our lovely clients:
Barchester Healthcare
City University School of Health Sciences
Kingston University & St Georges Hospital
Norfolk & Suffolk Dementia Alliance
Rhonda-Cynan-Taff Staff Training Development
Swansea Social Services Staff Development
Trinity St David’s, Carmarthen

25. We’re listening
Let’s explore together how
REAL Communication
could make a real difference
in your organisation
sarah.reed@manyhappyreturns.org
07976 287 952