Creative Aging Speaker Event: A Hopeful Vision for the Future of Dementia Care
- Lauren McClellan
- Apr 1
- 2 min read
The I’m Still Here Foundation was honored to partner with Maude’s Awards for Innovation in Alzheimer’s Care, the Frye Art Museum’s Creative Aging program, and the UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center for a meaningful community event featuring our founder, Dr. John Zeisel.
In his talk, Dr. Zeisel shared a forward-looking vision of dementia care—one rooted in understanding, connection, and the belief that people living with dementia can continue to live engaged, meaningful lives.
Scaffolding: The Support We All Need
One of the key ideas Dr. Zeisel highlighted was scaffolding—the way we rely on familiar environments to guide us through daily life.
“We create a scaffold in our brain of the environments we know… all of us do.”
Think about simple everyday actions, like walking to the bathroom at night. We do it almost automatically because our brain has built an internal map of our surroundings. For people living with dementia, that internal map can become disrupted. The opportunity—and responsibility—then becomes creating external scaffolding: supportive environments, clear cues, and thoughtful interactions that help restore confidence and independence.
Instead of doing things for someone, scaffolding allows people to continue doing things themselves.
Here’s what John had to say about scaffolding:
One Reality, Different Perceptions
Dr. Zeisel also challenged a common assumption about dementia:
“There’s one reality… and we all create our own perceptions around that reality.”
Each of us experiences the world in our own way. This perspective shifts the focus from correcting someone’s perception to understanding it, creating space for more compassionate care.
Here’s John explaining this idea in his own words:
“So, let’s understand that we’re not that different from each other.”
This mindset encourages connection over correction, emphasizing understanding and empathy.
Engagement: A Life with Purpose
At the heart of Dr. Zeisel’s message was the importance of engagement.
He connected this to ikigai—a sense of purpose that gives meaning to our days. True engagement isn’t occasional; it’s something we can nurture consistently through activities, relationships, and experiences that matter to the individual.
“The goal is not just moments of engagement—but a life of engagement.”
For people living with dementia—and for all of us—quality of life comes from having something to look forward to, something that brings joy, and something that connects us to others.
Events like this remind us what’s possible when we focus on ability, connection, and purpose rather than limitation. At the I’m Still Here Foundation; we remain committed to advancing this hopeful vision of dementia care and supporting communities in bringing it to life.
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