How can you create an engaging and supportive environment for your loved one with Alzheimer’s or related dementia?
An upcoming workshop sponsored by AlmaVia of Camarillo provides you with valuable information on forms of expression as diverse as interactive art creation, virtual visits to museums, poetry collages, seated yoga, volunteer opportunities and iconic movie clips that promote reminiscence and voicing of opinions.
The workshop, “At Home: Activities for the Mind, Body & Soul,” is part of Elder Care Alliance’s BridgeHaven Learning Series: Alzheimer’s & Related Dementia. The theme of the series is “Engaging hearts, transforming lives, erasing boundaries.”
Emotional and Creative Pursuits for Dementia Patients
Sean Caulfield, memory care specialist with Elder Care Alliance, will present the workshop. Caulfield lectures frequently throughout the United States and internationally on topics related to creativity, arts and culture, and inclusion at universities, community agencies, museums and hospitals. He has served as a keynote speaker for the Alzheimer’s Association and has presented workshops through the Maze conference in New York City, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey.
In the upcoming presentation, Caulfield will detail how certain areas in the brain grow more open to creative and emotional pursuits as Alzheimer’s progresses.
While Alzheimer’s damages some of the brain’s 100 billion neurons, patients still have 60 to 90 billion intact, Caulfield noted. And while Alzheimer’s patients sometimes are described as confused, anxious, depressed or agitated, loved ones should look for the emotion behind those descriptors.
Even in individuals with advanced dementia, artistic intervention can serve as a form of therapy, Caulfield said, and engaging in creative projects can lessen the stigma for Alzheimer’s patients. Achieving a greater sense of self and opportunities for engagement is possible for every patient.
Workshop Details
“At Home: Activities for the Mind, Body & Soul” will take place Wednesday, March 15, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at Camarillo Healthcare District, 3639 E. Las Posas Road, Camarillo, Calif., 93010.
Seating at the presentation is limited. To attend, RSVP to Memory Care Specialist Sean Caulfield at 510-769-2743 or SCaulfield@ElderCareAlliance.org.
For more information about memory care services, please contact AlmaVia of Camarillo.
