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Grantees

2024 Innovation Program Award Recipients

Dementia Friendly Community Ambassadors

Bernardston Senior Center – Bernardston, MA

 

Spearheaded by an Ambassador who collaborates with and supports businesses in the community, this program builds age and dementia friendly ways to authentically engage persons living with dementia and their care partners. The Ambassador will educate community stakeholders and area businesses by providing a toolbox that includes key components - including ways to communicate with people living with dementia and creating an inclusive atmosphere. This program seeks to build welcoming communities for all.

Rock-Climbing with Dementia

Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) - Biddeford, Maine

 

Southern Maine Agency on Aging is pioneering a rock-climbing program for underserved, culturally and economically diverse older adults living with dementia and their care partners. By embracing adventure and exploration, adaptive rock climbing redefines the possibilities by offering a novel approach to promoting health, resilience, and joy in participants’ lives. As care partners connect with others facing similar challenges in the climbing gym, they also benefit from respite and support. This program reinforces an important principle at SMAA: “Respite with” older adults living with dementia for caregivers, rather than “respite from.”

Healing the Generations with Music

Poydras Home and The Children’s Hospital of New Orleans - New Orleans, LA

 

This Poydras Home program brings together elders living with dementia and adolescent patients at the Children's Hospital in a music program, creating meaningful connections, collaboration, and social interaction. Sessions use music, lyrics analysis, discussion, song writing, drum circles, musical play, relaxation, lyrics substitution, and movement as a basis of connection and healing between generations. Music – the universal and open-minded language of healing – is the conduit of connection, meeting the social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual needs of both groups.

Meet Me: Community Outings

Insight Memory Care Center (IMCC) – Fairfax, VA

 

Using an integrated approach, Insight Memory Care Center will launch a series of brain supportive outings for people living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or early-stage dementia, and their family members or friends. The outings support a variety of brain health and wellness domains, such as physical activity, healthy eating, social activity, new learning/cognitive stimulation, reducing stress, animal therapy, sensory stimulation, creative expression, and community engagement. The overall purpose is to encourage peer support and socialization between families, who otherwise feel isolated due to symptom changes and stigma of the diagnosis. Staff and volunteers at IMCC provide on-site support to families during these outings to ensure a positive experience.

The How You Are to Me Children's Book Electronic Bass Entertainment, Inc. – New York, NY

 

This innovation represents a  groundbreaking creation and development of a children’s book for children and their family members avoiding the ubiquitous “Granny’s sick” narrative. The text and illustrations combine non-pharmacological  approaches to interact with persons living with dementia, together with improv techniques  employing How You Are to Me Approach. The goal of this book is to demonstrate the Hope Narrative,  rather than the “don’t be afraid” narrative that many dementia-focused children’s books model. The book will provide information in bite-sized pieces, easy to digest and understand, teaching one technique per book panel, intertwining the words with impactful and playful illustrated art. The book will promote a better way to communicate, for both young readers (and any age range that reads it).

Women Writers Empowerment

The International Women's Writing Guild at Roger Williams University – Bristol, RI

 

The International Women's Writing Guild at Roger Williams University aims to empower women writers living with dementia by providing them with a supportive environment to engage their passion for writing. The program will launch with a specialized track at the International Women’s Writing Guild (IWWG) 3-day in-person conference where participants can explore various writing techniques, share their stories, and connect with a community of fellow writers, caregivers, and supporters. Participants will have the option to attend sessions tailored to their interests and abilities, with additional support available for those who may need assistance due to their dementia diagnosis. Without this program these writers would be unable to attend.

Trauma-Informed Therapies

2LIife Communities Inc. – Boston, MA

 

The newly designed Expressive Therapy (ET) programs at 2Life Communities will learn about and incorporate the latest strategies to recognizing and responding to participants’ trauma experiences. The goal is to better help residents manage their trauma and allow for mind and body relief. 2Life will focus on a greater understanding of the neurological underpinnings of trauma and stress, incorporating activities that promote bilateral stimulation, intentionally engaging the wiring of alternating sides of the body and brain. The inclusion of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing – EMDR – is a mental health treatment technique designed to help individuals heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences. By incorporating elements of EMDR in the Expressive Therapy, 2Life intends to deepen residents’ meaningful self-expression and authentic engagement.

2023 Innovators

Windrush Farms

North Andover, MA
Bringing people living with dementia into friendly, relaxed contact with horses and ponies is the basis of this program. For some participants, this is a new experience that introduces them to animals. For others, it rekindles an earlier familiarity with horses.

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I’m Still Here Foster Pet Home

Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living, Vineyard Haven, MA
The Center for Living hosts a number of programs for people living with dementia. With this grant, the Center has opened a small foster care program for pets awaiting adoption. Participants enjoy visiting, caring for, and looking after a variety of animals.

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Libro de Arte Para Nosotros / Art Book for Us

Silverbright Circle, New Rochelle, NY
Artist and art therapist Elizabeth Gronke received an Innovation Grant to create Libro de Arte Para Nosotros / Art Book for Us, a high-quality picture book illustrated with artworks from around the world. The book includes broad, open-ended questions that facilitate communication among people living with dementia and their care partners.

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Marion Waterfront Memory Café Community Excursions

Marion Council on Aging, Marion, MA
Dedicated staff from the Marion Council on Aging's Waterfront Memory Café program now have an opportunity to take groups of up to fifty participants on year-round outings. This year’s agenda includes visits to local historic landmarks such as Ned’s Lighthouse in Mattapoisett and a Cape Cod Canal cruise.

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S.O.A.R. (Shared Outdoor Adventures for Resilience) Hikes

University of Washington Medicine's Memory and Brain Wellness Center, Seattle, WA
The S.O.A.R. program engages people living with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, often underserved by community services. Monthly small group hikes are organized and led by the University of Washington team in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation. These hikes encourage adventure and connection with others in the Seattle area.

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Therapeutic Drumming for Dementia

Ohio Living Foundation, Westerville, OH
Ohio Living is offering an exciting new drumming program for residents at Breckenridge Village and Mount Pleasant. Regular participation in therapeutic drumming circles helps reduce symptoms of dementia, such as aggression, agitation, anxiety, and apathy. As a bonus, residents’ families and caregivers also participate!

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Want to Clay?

Joy’s House, Indianapolis, IN
Joy’s House has launched an innovative program led by renowned artist Barb Zech, who guides participants through various clay art techniques to encourage their creative potential. Small groups of people living with dementia join weekly pottery studio sessions designed to harness the transformative power of art. The pottery created is used in meals and activities at the center.

2022 Innovators

Poydras Home
New Orleans, LA

ISH is supporting a new project developed by the Poydras Home of New Orleans: Generation 2 Generation Baking. This program involves elders, children, and animals from a local shelter. A small group of persons living with dementia from the Poydras Home community will join a class of young children from the Isadore Newman Childcare Center to bake and share meaningful experiences.

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HOPE Dementia Support

CDM Careegiving Serices, Vancouver Washington

I’m Still Here awarded a grant to HOPE Dementia Support, a program of CDM Caregiving Services in Vancouver,Washington. This monthly program, “Music and Memories”, allows persons living with dementia and their care partners to experience meaningful music connections and practice music relational skills. The program brings music into the home and care routine through technology, music streaming and training to transfer the skills of music engagement into practical and helpful tools to decrease agitation and increase communication. The new monthly group is facilitated by board certified music therapists for those with memory loss and their care partners. Therapists play accordion and guitar and provide instruments such as drums and rattles for the participants to use as they sing along. The program will also help participants to create personalized music playlists and offer a holiday celebration, “Jingling for HOPE.” at the center.

2021 Innovators

Windrush Farm
North Andover, MA

Windrush Farm hosted small groups of persons living with dementia for weekly visits to engage with a horse. Over a series of weeks, participants are guided by a trained horseperson to get to know “their” horse by name and for the horse to get to know them. Participants groom, saddle, bridle, and walk their horse until they turn over the horse to a person who is living with autism to ride around the indoor ring. This program creates relationships and provides opportunities for helping others and feeling a sense of purpose.

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Virtual Yoga Classes
Town of Arlington, MA

The Town of Arlington, MA, offered Virtual Yoga Classes to engage persons living with dementia at home and their care partners in weekly online yoga classes led by instructors with specialized dementia training. The program helped to reach shut-ins during the COVID years and made the classes available to neighboring towns and cities.

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HOPE Dementia Support
CDM Caregiving Services, Vancouver, WA

I’m Still Here awarded a grant to HOPE Dementia Support, a program of CDM Caregiving Services in Vancouver, Washington. This monthly program, “Music and Memories,” allows persons living with dementia and their care partners to experience meaningful music connections and practice music relational skills. The program brings music into the home and care routine through technology, music streaming, and training to transfer the skills of music engagement into practical and helpful tools to decrease agitation and increase communication. The new monthly group is facilitated by board-certified music therapists for those with memory loss and their care partners. Therapists play accordion and guitar and provide instruments such as drums and rattles for the participants to use as they sing along. The program will also help participants to create personalized music playlists and offer a holiday celebration, “Jingling for HOPE.”

2021 Innovators

​Virtual Yoga Classes
Town of Arlington, MA

The Town of Arlington, MA, offered Virtual Yoga Classes to engage persons living with dementia at home and their care partners in weekly online yoga classes led by instructors with specialized dementia training. The program helped to reach shut-ins during the COVID years and made the classes available to neighboring towns and cities.

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HOPE Dementia Support
CDM Caregiving Services, Vancouver, WA

I’m Still Here awarded a grant to HOPE Dementia Support, a program of CDM Caregiving Services in Vancouver, Washington. This monthly program, “Music and Memories,” allows persons living with dementia and their care partners to experience meaningful music connections and practice music relational skills. The program brings music into the home and care routine through technology, music streaming, and training to transfer the skills of music engagement into practical and helpful tools to decrease agitation and increase communication. The new monthly group is facilitated by board-certified music therapists for those with memory loss and their care partners. Therapists play accordion and guitar and provide instruments such as drums and rattles for the participants to use as they sing along. The program will also help participants to create personalized music playlists and offer a holiday celebration, “Jingling for HOPE.”

2020 Innovators

Windrush Farm
North Andover, MA

Windrush Farm hosted small groups of persons living with dementia for weekly visits to engage with a horse. Over a series of weeks, participants are guided by a trained horseperson to get to know “their” horse by name and for the horse to get to know them. Participants groom, saddle, bridle, and walk their horse until they turn over the horse to a person who is living with autism to ride around the indoor ring. This program creates relationships and provides opportunities for helping others and feeling a sense of purpose.
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