St Barnabas is Partnering with Ponder Anew to Establish a Care Partnership Program to Assist People Living with Dementia and Those Who Care for Them
|
Dementia can take many forms - although Alzheimers is the most widely known there are over 100 known variations - and often goes unnoticed until it reaches the stage where it is drastically impacting the lives of those who have it - and those who love and care for them. Dementia impacts people without regard to nationality, gender, race, faith, or (surprisingly to many) age.
St Barnabas recognizes that Dementia can - and does - have a significant impact in our community. We feel called by Jesus Christ to do what we can to establish Care Partnerships both with people afflicted with Dementia and with those who love and care for them. To help us in this important ministry we have partnered with Anne Cox Bailey and Ponder Anew to establish a program to promote understanding of Dementia and the many forms it can take, and to provide assistance and training to care partners in a proven methodolgy to help care partners effectively and lovingly interact with those impacted by dementia. We will be utilizing Teepa Snow's "positive Approach to Care" methodolgy and Training to teach the best ways to approach someone with dementia and to move from the oft resisted "caretaker/caregiver" to a full "care partner." We will be launching the full program this fall but in the meantime we will provide occasional updates on the progress and some informational materials to help understand how the methodology works and why it is so successful. Who is Mary Sue Wilkinson
|
|
|
Mary Sue Wilkinson is a career educator, certified music teacher, an experienced speaker and trainer and a professional musician. She is also the author of Songs You Know by Heart: A Simple Guide for Using Music in Dementia Care.
Mary Sue believes Music is a powerful tool to help us connect, find joy and spark memories. Especially for people living with dementia. Mary Sue's use of music as a part of Care Partnerships for people living with dementia is endorsed by Teepa Snow and consistent with the Care Partenerships we are fostering with our program. More information is available on her website at Singing Heart to Heart - Meet Mary Sue |
