Memory Companion Training

Thirty six hours of interactive training on optimal therapeutic recreation for individuals with dementia—compiling years of experience and training into 36 hours.  It is so fulfilling to finally get to share my passion.  Better still–to be able to share it with individuals equally passionate for care.

Years ago my ex and I took a cult-like course.  Not one of our best decisions except for one take-home message . . . significant decisions or events in your life will be remembered in great detail.

How true that is.  As I review best practice in providing recreation, stories come to mind.  The powerful stories are the ones that shaped my approach today.  Inevitably I remember the individual with dementia’s full name, their demeanor, and a bit about their family and preferences.  Sometimes these are folks from 38 years ago.  But the impact of the experience imprinted the details.

These may not be huge epiphanies.  There’s the country club member in the Bowie nursing home who languished with no visitors.  Her country club friends no longer felt comfortable visiting her due to her memory loss.  They no longer knew what to say.  My assistant and I did what we could to get her to as many activities as possible.  She had a dry wit and loved poetry and theater.  Every morning when I went in to deliver the daily activities schedule Ruthann would look me up and down, head to toe.  If I had brown shoes on with anything but brown tones . . . What were you thinking? She would razz me the rest of the day with a twinkle in her eye.  Here it is 20 years later.  I think of her whenever I am tempted to wear the brown sandals with tones of black . . .  sometimes I do it anyway:).

I am confident that some of my recent trainees will remain in my memory base for years to come.  Pink Floyd, Kick the Bucket, Pop Some Tags . . .   Hats off to Harmony HEART aides.