reading to adults with dementia
Pilot program with wisdom project 2030
companion program creates engagement
Social engagement is essential.
Dementia specialists agree that social engagement can have a quite positive effect on those living with dementia. After all, when we are with others, communicating and cooperating with them, we are exercising a wide range of cognitive skills. This "exercise" is good for the brain. And, the community provided in social engagement is good for the well-being of the person with dementia.
"One of the most effective treatments is the presence of another human being."
- Jason Karlawish, Co-director of the Penn Memory Center.
Dementia specialists also agree that dementia caregivers are at greater risk for various physical and mental health issues due to the intensity of dementia caregiving. And the intensity of caregiving can be physically and emotionally isolating. So, caregivers need social engagement too. Respite creates space for much needed time with others.
Implementation
These roles are necessary to a successful pilot implementation:
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Program Coordinator
- Training Designer/Educator
- Assisted Living Facility/Memory Care Liaison
Over the course of the next generation, the number of dementia diagnoses will double. So will the number of dementia caregivers.
A preparedness gap exists.
The urgent and growing need for dementia knowledge and resources will go unmet unless we do more to advocate for people living with dementia, educate those who care for them, and support both through dementia's progression.
Beyond Dementia Coalition is working to help communities in north Georgia prepare for the social, business, and spiritual impacts dementia threatens in our region. The Reading to Adults with Dementia program is a great example of work we can do to improve the lives of those living with Alzheimer's or other dementia AND their caregivers.
This program is a joint venture between Beyond Dementia Coalition and Wisdom Project 2030 and will launch in the spring of 2024.
What
Volunteers visit one-on-one with a person with dementia to read to them from requested or curated written material.
How
Wisdom Project 2030 and Beyond Dementia Coalition team with an assisted living community with a memory care unit to establish a pilot program that can then be replicated and scaled to other communities in other regions.
Why
Social enageement is an essential part of quality dementia care, to slow dementia's progression and maximize overall physical and mental health.
Who
We will be recruiting Volunteer Readers, such as students, Wisdom Keepers, neighborhood theater groups, retirees, stay-at-home moms, faith outreach groups, and others to join us as we implement Reading to Adults with Dementia. If you are interested in volunteering as a reader, you will need to complete our Reader Training Program, which Beyond Dementia Coalition will provide without charge. The curriculum and details are in development and more specifics will be available soon.
To learn more, please use our Contact Form.