Brewing Connections: The Hoppiness Project’s Impact on Agency, Reminiscence, and Community in Dementia Care
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Green Room |
Guy Manchester
Gardening Facilitator
Alive Activities
Sean Davey
Innovation Manager
St Monica Trust
Summary
The presentation will discuss The Hoppiness Project, an innovative series of activities and interventions designed to enhance the well-being of people living with dementia. Centred on the cultivation and harvesting of hops, and ultimately brewing beer, the project engages participants in tangible, meaningful experiences that foster agency, identity, and social connection. The initiative challenges traditional perceptions of care home culture and dementia, empowering individuals with dementia to take an active role in community life. The presentation will also explore how the model was so successful we are now turning it into a Community Interest Company (CIC) to make the project more sustainable. We’re achieving this by partnering with St Monica Trust’s retirement villages, whose residents are helping us shape the commercialisation of a beer made with hops grown across care home gardens.