Grantees
2025 Innovators
Generations in Bloom
Theo's Flowers-Medfield, MA
A passion project by sisters whose parents died of Alzheimer's Disease. They will collaborate with Greater Boston middle and high schools to have youth in community service-learning programs work with senior-living facilities and events where flowers were used for celebrations or other purposes to repurpose the flowers and create them into handcrafted bouquets to be delivered to seniors with dementia. Each bouquet will include a handwritten note from a middle or high school student, along with their photograph and a brief description of their own life and hobbies, fostering empathy and intergenerational connection. Rooted in the I’m Still Here approach, this program emphasizes present-moment joy through sensory-rich experiences of color, scent, and touch. It will reduce floral waste, uplift isolated seniors, and offer youth meaningful service opportunities that build awareness and compassion.
Singing Your Memories
Valley Oak Respite Center- Danville, CA
This is the only dementia day program in a 30-mile radius. Participants will attend weekly live music sessions led by a professional musician. With lyrics projected onscreen, attendees will sing or hum along to beloved classics, from Sinatra to folk songs. The program will integrate memory-sharing and emotional expression, as participants and staff will reflect on the songs’ meanings. Staff and volunteers will actively participate—sometimes in costume—making each session lively and inclusive. A dementia-focused therapist will further enhance their therapeutic value.
How to Incubate Your Program
Hosted by R Place- Chapel Hill, NC
This project will expand the successful R Place group respite model to a second, secular, volunteer-led site through a community partnership. Launched in September 2023 by the Orange County Department on Aging (OCDOA), R Place is North Carolina’s first secular implementation of the Respite for All (RFA) model, which offers joyful, person-centered programming for people living with dementia (PLWD), while providing respite for caregivers and meaningful engagement for volunteers.
Meeting weekly, R Place engages participants in music, art, movement, and social connection with a 1:1 or 1:2 volunteer ratio, fostering dignity, autonomy, and belonging. The program integrates I’m Still Here principles and has grown from 10 to 15 participants and now 30 dedicated volunteers. Volunteers, caregivers, and participants report significant emotional, social, and quality-of-life benefits.
The incubator project will replicate this model in a new location, adapted to meet local cultural needs. An implementation team—including the R Place director, student interns, volunteers, and incubation site leadership—will co-design the new program. The project includes hands-on training, startup resources, program design, volunteer recruitment, and community engagement through events and Memory Cafés.
Research and evaluation are integral to the project. A UNC Health Policy & Management student is conducting a qualitative study of the R Place experience, and new sites will implement data collection and pre-post surveys. Outcomes and implementation steps will be documented to support the development of a guidebook for wider replication.
The R Place director brings extensive experience in dementia care, certification in multiple evidence-based approaches, and deep partnerships in aging services. This project will strengthen access to community-based dementia care and serve as a replicable model for other rural and diverse communities, while proudly promoting the I’m Still Here Foundation’s support across media and outreach platforms.
The Writers Workshop Retreats
Sponsored by the International Women's Writing Guild- Kingston, NY
will expand on the successful ISH-supported 2024 retreat by integrating creative expression and wellness for women with early-onset dementia and their caregivers. Set in tranquil Kingston, NY, the retreat will offer workshops in writing, music, art, yoga, meditation, and guided walks—all designed to promote cognitive health, emotional resilience, and caregiver self-care. ISH will primarily support the writing elements.
Inspired by the I’m Still Here principles, activities will focus on authentic, present-moment engagement without requiring memory or performance. Caregivers will benefit from restorative practices and shared support. The retreats will prioritize accessibility, inclusivity, and community building in a peaceful, natural setting.
Running from May 2025 through May 2026, the program will include follow-up writing circles, online workshops, and a culminating reading and art exhibit. It will notably support underserved women and families facing memory loss, fostering creative connections and empowerment throughout every stage of the journey.
Celebrating Ugandan Elders
Waltham Africano Cultural Services- Waltham, MA
Africano Waltham serves Ugandan immigrants in and around Waltham, MA, building trust over 15 years through culturally grounded programming. Initially focused on youth, Africano expanded during the pandemic to serve all ages, becoming a vital food pantry site and social hub. Many elders, or "Jajas," are isolated, having immigrated from Uganda and worked in caregiving while supporting extended families. Although they understand English, they are most comfortable in Luganda, so we provide interpretation and translation services.
For the past two years, Africano has partnered with Waltham Connections for Healthy Aging to host a weekly Golden Years program for older Ugandans. Each Tuesday, 15–40 Jajas engage in culturally meaningful activities—dance, crafts, food, singing, and storytelling—that naturally align with I’m Still Here (ISH) dementia care principles. More than 120 elders have participated. Guest speakers from organizations like JF&CS, Healthy Waltham, and Springwell provide education on services and benefits.
With support from the ISH Foundation, the Golden Years for All initiative will deepen dementia-friendly programming for elders, caregivers, and community partners. We will train staff, build outreach strategies, and co-create new activities for persons living with dementia (PLWD), including intergenerational projects and home-based engagement. Gerontologist Dr. Walter Leutz from Brandeis University will lead the evaluation and include focus groups, journaling, and data collection.
Africano’s community connections and culturally tailored model make it ideal for engaging private, underserved elders and families in dementia-inclusive care. The program will offer a strong model for replication by partner organizations, including Latino senior programming at the Waltham Senior Center.
Mind-Body Dance Connections
Early Alzheimer's Foundation- New York, NY
A new initiative by the Early Alzheimer's Foundation for seniors with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and will be offered at two Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) in NYC: Morningside Gardens and River Terrace. Building on the Memory Tree programs currently offered weekly at these sites, this project will introduce Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form that uses gesture, facial expression, and storytelling. Each site will host eight bi-weekly 90-minute sessions combining 45 minutes of dance with 45 minutes of visual artmaking, culminating in a celebratory performance and art exhibit.
This program will integrate movement and creativity, activating brain regions associated with memory, emotion, and reward. Sessions will be inclusive of both seated and standing participants, promoting self-expression through dance and sculpture. Caregivers and community members will be invited to participate in and attend the final events.
Led holistically by a licensed certified social worker, neuroscientist, dancer, and art therapist, the program aims to engage 30 participants, achieving a 75% retention rate. Outcomes will be measured through pre- and post-surveys, as well as caregiver feedback. Designed to be replicable, this model will provide a flexible framework for integrating art forms to support individuals living with dementia from underserved populations and in diverse community settings.
Honoring Native American Elders – Poetry on Wheels
Hosted by the Illinois St. Andrew Society, DBA Chicago Scots and Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care- Oneida Nation, WI
An innovative, culturally responsive arts program designed for individuals of the Oneida Nation living with dementia, their families, and care partners. Developed by the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project (APP), the program adapts APP’s award-winning techniques—call and response, discussion, sensory props, and caring questions—for rural Northern Wisconsin.
The program will comprise three components: monthly Poetry Parties, Poetry Booklets, and Art Support Calls. Poetry Parties, held at the Oneida Community Health Center, will foster joyful, interactive sessions that utilize poems, songs, and stories. Participants will also receive Poetry Booklets featuring works like those in When the Light of the World Was Subdued, along with prompts that will spark original, multisensory creative responses. Art Support Calls will extend engagement at home.
Led by the APP founder, the program aligns with the I’m Still Here principles, emphasizing presence, meaning, and community inclusion. It aims to reduce social isolation and improve quality of life through creative expression. Surveys from a previous pilot showed 86% of participants felt bonded to facilitators, and 88% enjoyed performing poems. Community collaborators support outreach, and the program is scalable via training, online resources, and replication in other Indigenous communities.
Pre-School Library Partners
Paw Paw District Library- Paw Paw, MI
Since 2018, the Paw Paw District Library has hosted a monthly Memory Café for individuals with mild to moderate dementia and their caregivers. Participants enjoy brain games, music, and refreshments in a relaxed, welcoming space. Recently, the library partnered with Great Start, a local early childhood program, for intergenerational activities such as sing-alongs and arts and crafts. With support from ISH, the library will introduce an Octaband—a sensory engagement tool—for use during Café sessions, outreach visits, and future child-adult programs. These shared experiences will reduce isolation and strengthen community bonds.
Toy and Miniature Stories
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures- Kansas City, KS
Toy and Miniature Stories is a monthly museum program designed for individuals with memory loss and their caregivers. By engaging with nostalgic objects from the museum’s collection, the program will foster joy, connection, and cognitive stimulation through shared storytelling and sensory-based activities.
Held on quiet Tuesday afternoons when the museum is closed to the public, Toy and Miniature will include small group discussions led by trained docents using Visual Thinking Strategies, followed by a hands-on creative activity and refreshments. Participants will be invited to explore the galleries before the program begins, and each session will conclude with a themed takeaway item that will extend the experience beyond the museum.
To increase accessibility, the program is free of charge and supported by partnerships with the Alzheimer’s Association and the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. A new outreach initiative, Toy and Miniature Stories On the Go, will be introduced to this museum program, bringing it to local library branches near senior communities and broadening its impact.
Rooted in the I’m Still Here philosophy, Toy and Miniature Stories offers meaningful engagement in a safe, inclusive environment. Caregivers have consistently reported that their loved ones feel valued and included. The new element to the museum program will expand and enhance training, ensure long-term sustainability, and broaden community reach.
2024 Innovators
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.
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.
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.”
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
2019 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.
