“When you have Alzheimer’s or dementia, you’re sometimes frightened or anxious because you can’t remember where you are, who dropped you off, or when they’re coming back. When I first started working here, a woman came up to me, pointed to her name tag, and said, ‘This is my name and I’m not sure where my family is, but I think they might be looking for me. Can you help me?’ That broke my heart. People often withdraw too because they can’t find the words, but when we do art together, they just come alive. They are reconnected to positive memories and to places where they used to feel comfortable and strong. In art class we get conversational, laugh together, and talk about all sorts of things. They see that it’s a fun place and that there’s no pressure. We’re doing a house project right now and we talk about, ‘What would your dream house look like? What color would it be? What was your childhood house like? What do you remember about it? What was your favorite thing?’ The more you get to know them, the more fun it is to pull these stories out and see them get excited about sharing a happy memory or a memory of something they accomplished that they’re proud of. I’ve really learned through this year that my job is to help them forget that they can’t remember. My goal is to connect them to their skill sets so that they realize they still have something to offer. These are brilliant, valuable people with incredible life stories. I’ve seen people talk to the elderly like they’re young kids, and they’re not. They have a great sense of humor, and when you get them talking, when they’re comfortable in a conversation where they feel like they’re knowledgeable, they shine.
“We had a 1940’s week recently, and it ended with a big shebang on Friday, which was Hat Day. We printed up pictures of what the women used to wear, what the men used to wear, and we created the hat structures with papier-mâché and balloons. They got to pick their fabric and all the buttons and feathers to decorate them, and then we wore them that Friday. It was fabulous. My boss was going to a ladies' tea and she came in and said, ‘I’d like to wear one of your hats’, so she took it out into the community and got to talk about what we do. Some of the ladies wanted to make sure nothing happened to the one they made, so they told me, ‘That’s my hat, put my name on that hat,’ and I said, ‘Yes ma’am, I will. I know that you love it.’
“When they see me, they might not remember my name, but they know my face and they know that I love them and that we have a good time together, so they light up. They make me miss my grandmother.”
“We had a 1940’s week recently, and it ended with a big shebang on Friday, which was Hat Day. We printed up pictures of what the women used to wear, what the men used to wear, and we created the hat structures with papier-mâché and balloons. They got to pick their fabric and all the buttons and feathers to decorate them, and then we wore them that Friday. It was fabulous. My boss was going to a ladies' tea and she came in and said, ‘I’d like to wear one of your hats’, so she took it out into the community and got to talk about what we do. Some of the ladies wanted to make sure nothing happened to the one they made, so they told me, ‘That’s my hat, put my name on that hat,’ and I said, ‘Yes ma’am, I will. I know that you love it.’
“When they see me, they might not remember my name, but they know my face and they know that I love them and that we have a good time together, so they light up. They make me miss my grandmother.”
"We celebrated National Donut Day by making fabric donuts. Some of the ladies said, 'I don't remember how to sew', but as soon as they picked up the needle and thread, it came back to them. They did remember after all!"
Heidi models hats from 1940's Week:
Heidi Walter is an art teacher with Page Robbins Adult Day Center, 1961 S. Houston Levee Road - Collierville, TN 38017 - Phone: 901-854-1200
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