Football unlocks memories in Alzheimer's patients

Football fans in Scotland who also have Alzheimer's disease are currently being invited to take part in a scheme designed to utilise the sport to unlock lost memories.

The Football Memories scheme, funded by Alzheimer's Scotland, is believed to help spark memory synapses, leading to an improvement in the patient's short-term memory, the Scotsman reports.

It has even been praised by Fifa, the sport's global governing body.

Michael White helps to run the sessions and said they can be emotional, noting it is often "humbling" to see the change in people when they begin to remember certain things.

According to Mr White, people who attend the scheme have said they "drive here with a sad person with dementia and take home their husband".

The initiative is now set to be extended to areas across Scotland, with Hearts' Tynecastle stadium set to host the latest later this month and regular sessions occurring at the ground thereafter.

Find out more about Alzheimer's disease care at Barchester homes