Dementia-friendly activities
Quixotic Brings Magic and Music to KC Memory Cafe
Will we ever be too old to enjoy balloon animals? we’ve often wondered. After seeing Quixotic bring magic and music to KC Memory Cafe, our answer is a resounding, “No!” Along with 90 other guests, we were on the edge of our chairs, watching balloon maestro David Brenn transform simple balloons into pooches, butterflies, eyeglasses, and flowers. The crowd raised their hands, trying to catch the colorful flying balloons. They laughed at the little dog that could instantly turn into a poodle and applauded at the balloon jetpack.
The music was mesmerizing, a delightful intertwining of violin and cello notes, accented by a graceful dancer and an enthralling singer. Everyone swayed to the sounds of an Irish jig, hummed along with Fly Me to the Moon and The Girl from Ipanema, and watched the balloons fly during Cheek to Cheek.
Beyond the fantastic talent of the performers was their warmth and caring. They created this low sensory, dementia friendly program and they were so happy to be sharing their gifts with us. And we were totally wowed!
Click here to experience the magic for yourself.
And visit Quixotic’s website to learn more about their upcoming public performances.
Click to view informative and inspiring short videos on our YouTube channel
Deborah Shouse is the author of Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together and Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey.
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Using Nature to Connect with Creativity and Generations: KC Memory Cafe
The tables are scattered with pine cones, sycamore leaves, and decorative branches, along with bottles of glue, vivid construction paper, and pots of colorful paint. Our KC Memory Cafe begins with sharing memories of camping, scouting, or outdoor activities. Then a lively group of Girl Scouts leads us in song, reminding us to, “Make new friends, But keep the old, One is silver, And the other gold.”
After our singalong, cafe guests experiment with the art supplies and natural 
objects. They dip pine cones into red paint and brush blue across crusty leaves. They paint a stick bright orange and wrap it with yarn. The Girl Scouts weave through the artists, pouring extra paint, distributing additional papers, and assisting when asked. The guests work, admire, chat, and laugh as these creative projects emerge. By the end of the cafe, the tables are covered with innovative art and people are smiling as they return home.
Click here for a look at our cafe.
Want to introduce more nature into your lives?
“Research shows that nature-based activity is therapeutic and is essentially a form of treatment for dementia symptoms, helping a person remain at home longer,” says Garuth Chalfont PhD, American Society of Landscape Architects, and author of the. Dementia Green Care Handbook.
Gathering flowers, walking a tree-lined sidewalk, plucking a cherry tomato off its vine, watering a house plant, gazing out the window at chickadees—these meaningful natural activities increase pleasure, relaxation, social interactions, and sensory stimulation.
Here are a few other ideas:
• Create observation spots in your living space so you can enjoy looking outdoors. Even watching the weather helps people feel engaged in the natural environment.
• Improve your view with interesting additions, such as bird feeders and birdhouses, bubbling fountains, wind chimes, wind spinners, outdoor sculpture, and various plants and herbs.
• Add resilient plants to your home. 
• Bring in natural objects to touch, identify, arrange, draw and craft with.
• Visit garden centers, parks, playgrounds, and zoos for a rich natural experience.
• Increase your popularity by taking a dog with you on a walk, either your own or borrow your neighbor’s pup.
Click to view informative and inspiring short videos on our YouTube channel
Deborah Shouse is the author of Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together and Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey.
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Huzzah! RenFest Stars Present at KC Memory Cafe
A wizard, a peasant, a royal hat maker, and a royal candy maker walked into the Plaza Library. But they were not here to check out books on their respective trades: they were with several other RenFest stars, eager to present at the KC Memory Cafe.
Mia Moore shared the inside story of getting into her complicated costume as the Renfest character of Molly William, Lady Steward of the Household. First, she slipped on a gauzy white under-blouse with an appealing ruff around the neck. Then, she created a luscious hour-glass shape by putting on a corset. In the olden days, the corsets were made with whale bones. But Mia was ecologically correct and chose industrial cables for hers. A wide brown skirt, made of upholstery materials, was next, followed by a lady’s doublet, with dozens of small fabric covered buttons. Getting all buttoned up took at least ten minutes, and she kept us quite entertained throughout the process. Her final adornment was a jaunty hat.
Click here to get the RenFest inside story.
“It wouldn’t be proper to go around with my hair uncovered. Plus, during the Renaissance, people didn’t bathe that often. Their hair might be dirty and lice-ridden, which the hat kindly covered,” she told us.
As each of the performers shared information about their characters, we could feel their passion for history and for this fascinating time period.
The wizard assured us, he would never walk about London with his high pointed burlap hat and his quartz-topped staff; for that, he would have been locked up in a mental hospital. Instead, he would have lived in a rural setting and been considered an alchemist. The peasant told us, “The amount of cloth in a middle class woman’s skirt would be enough for me and my family for a year.”
Cloth was quite valuable and all fabrics were recycled and passed down, mended and amended until they were nothing but scraps.
How often does a person have a chance to touch an ostrich feather fan or stroke the soft pink velvet of the royal candy maker’s doublet? Our performers walked about the room, greeting individuals, sharing stories about their characters and clothing, and letting us examine their specially made costumes.
It was a glorious experience, rich with history, energy, and imagination.
Click to view informative and inspiring short videos on our YouTube channel
Deborah Shouse is the author of Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together and Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey.
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The Beat Goes on at KC Memory Cafe
“Drumming ultimately has therapeutic value, providing the emotional and physical benefits collectively known as “drummer’s high,” an endorphin rush that can only be stimulated by playing music, not simply listening to it. …The endorphin-filled act of drumming increases positive emotions and leads people to work together in a more cooperative fashion.” The Neuroscience of Drumming
Want to experience your own drummer’s high?
Click here and tap along to the beat.
The beat goes on at KC Memory Cafe. Brandon Draper of Drum Safari reminds us how connected we all are by tapping his hand on the table. “No matter where we come from, we all share this internal rhythm, our heartbeat,” he tells us. We tap along with him, and follow his lead as he introduces other more complex beats. Ninety of us are gathered on the lower level of the Plaza Library to experience the magic of drumming, guided by Brandon, his wife, and two daughters. He introduces us to ancient drums and to contemporary instruments. After our briefing in the powerful history of drumming, we all have an opportunity to experience the “drummer’s high.”
The excitement and energy in the room builds as we all make music together. We 
are laughing, banging away, singing call and response, and thoroughly engaged in creating cooperative sounds.
People lingered for a long time afterwards, drawn together by the shared experience.
Though Brandon has shared his drumming skills many times, performing at the KC Memory Care touched him deeply. He was thinking of his beloved grandmother, who had lived with dementia. He stayed connected with her through music. “To be here, sharing with all of you, meant so much to me,” he told us.
Our thanks to the wonderful team from Santa Marta Retirement Center, who nourished us with delicious snacks and helped serve everyone. Thanks also to Pam and Beverly, who helped nurture, serve, encourage and keep the beat going on. Want to volunteer or get on our email list? Just contact Heather Harrison, heatherharrison@kclibrary.org 816-701-3763
Click to view informative and inspiring short videos on our YouTube channel
Deborah Shouse is the author of Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together and Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey.
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Laughing All the Way: Boosting Health and Happiness
“When You Laugh, you change,
and when you change the whole world changes.”
-Dr Madan Kataria, MD, Founder Laughter Yoga Movement
We were warmly welcomed into a parlor area, reminiscent of an elegantly aging aunt’s apartment. A piano waited patiently along one wall. There was a colorful bowl of fruit and a tempting array of pastries and fruit-infused waters. As we waited, we looked out into an outdoor garden and picnic area. The 80th Street Residency, a memory care community in Manhattan, created a warm, home-like atmosphere for its residents. Ron and I had come here to offer a laughter yoga class, hoping to boost our participants’ health and happiness. We worked with their activities coordinator, Jackie LaBau.
Here’s what we’ve learned about laughter yoga: often people look, act, and feel differently after they’ve experienced a session. There is a magic about intentionally laughing with a group. The experience of breathing, clapping, engaging in playful imaginings, and of course, laughing, soon softens the spirits. People feel energetic and connected. Everyone, including staff, residents, and us, leave feeling happier. That’s what happened in New York, just as it has every time Ron and I have led laughing sessions.
Back home in Kansas City, we laughed with the lively people at Jeanne’s Place, CareHaven’s day program for people living with early stage dementia. We have laughed with these wonderful folks before, and now they start giggling when we walk in.
We also visited Mandy Shoemaker and her team at Prairie Eider Care, our area’s only Eden Alternative homes, and we had fun admiring their outdoor barnyard collection of silky chickens, a potbellied pig, and sassy ducks. Then we settled into their welcoming living areas. We sat in intergenerational circles with staff, family members, and residents, talking, singing, and laughing.
Dr. Kataria, the founder of Laughter Yoga, believes that inviting out our childlike energy and acting playfully is vital to living a balanced and healthy life. Plus, it’s tremendous fun. He says: “Laughter Yoga is an aerobic workout that helps uplift your mood within minutes by releasing endorphins from your brain cells. You often remain energized, relaxed, and in good spirits throughout the day. Laughter also makes our immune system stronger, increases oxygen intake, and reduces stress. Plus laughing with others builds a social bond and reduces feelings of isolation.”
In our groups, we created laughter milkshakes, with each person choosing their favorite flavor of ice cream. We looked at each other, waved, and laughed. We had a lot of dog lovers in our groups, so we imagined how a chihuahua would laugh. A member of the nursing team loved large dogs and she helped us to guffaw like a Great Dane. Most of our group loved baseball, so we sang, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” then substituted the words with “Ha Ha “ syllables, otherwise known as the Ha Ha Chorus. That chorus works for any familiar song and tickles your funny bone.
Ron and I learned Laughter Yoga from the amazing Robert Rivest, who is a master 
trainer and who studied with Dr. Kataria. But you don’t need to be a trained facilitator to bring more laughter into your life.
Quick Tips for Adding Laughter into the Day
•Look at the clock and laugh for one minute.
•When driving, laugh during red lights.
•When working out, pick a couple of exercises, such as squats and curls, and laugh while you’re doing them. (Want to get others laughing? Do this at the gym!)
•Use the “ha ha chorus” to bring giggles into your life. Take any song and substitute “ha ha ha’s” for the words. This works well in the shower, car, on walks and more.
Want to laugh more?
Visit laughteryoga.org and robertrivest.com
Contact Deborah Shouse and Ron Zoglin: 816-361-7878 Email myinfo@pobox.com Website: DemeniaJourney.org
If you are part of a memory care community in the KC area and you’d like to gift your residents with laughter, feel free to reach out to us at creativity@pobox.com
Click to view informative and inspiring short videos on our YouTube channel
Deborah Shouse is the author of Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together and Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey.
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Some Enchanted Beautiful Morning: Movies & Memories Celebrates Inclusion
The buzz of conversation ceased as singer/actor Robert Gibby Brand stepped up to the microphone. His accompanist, pianist Robert Pherigo, played the opening bars of Oh, What a Beautiful Morning and Brand soared into the “Bright golden haze on the meadow.” Instantly the audience, ages two to 85 plus, was listening raptly. Brand continued his concert, inviting us to sing along on It’s a Long Way to Tipperary, and melting us with the Cole Porter classic Night and Day. Brand told us the story behind each song and left us wildly applauding after performing Some Enchanted Evening. It was some enchanted beautiful morning at the monthly KC Movies & Memories program.
But the enchantment didn’t stop there. First we watched the Oscar nominated short, 
Room on the Broom, which illustrated the joys and challenges of inclusion in a most creative, playful, and poignant way.
One of the characters said plaintively, “I am a bird, as green as can be. Is there room on the broom, for a bird like me?” The witch’s clingy cat captured that part in most of us that doesn’t want to share, that believes there is not enough. But the witch reminded us, “Yes, there is room.”
Afterwards we discussed the movie, asking who identified with the clingy cat. All of us had to raise our hands. Then we asked who identified with the witch, who welcomed everyone, and there was a large showing of hands. We also talked about favorite characters and what parts of the film we liked best.
To finish our mini film-fest, we played an inspiring clip from a Mr. Rogers show, and showed Purl, an 8-minute Pixar film, about how our differences can enrich our lives.
It was an inspiring program and everyone left uplifted and delightfully sated by our fresh-made popcorn and other treats.
For a taste of Some Enchanted Beautiful Morning, click here.
A big thanks to our volunteers, Sharon, Julie, and Pam, and to our generous hosts, The Plaza Library.
Want to continue the magic at home?
Room on the Broom is a 20-minute film that is fun for all ages, while being both entertaining and profound. You can easily generate open-ended questions and invite comments and conversation. We talked about, “If you were an animal, which animal would you like to be?” “Who did you identify with?” “What were your favorite parts of the movie?” “Have you ever not wanted to share?”
Want to continue the magic with us? Mark your calendars for the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30. Please join us for our next cafe and our next movie program. For more information, contact Deborah at creativity@pobox.com
Click to view informative and inspiring short videos on our YouTube channel
Deborah Shouse is the author of Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together and Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey.
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Upcoming KC Dementia Friendly Events
Please join us for these upcoming KC Dementia Friendly events, specially created for people who are living with dementia and their family, friends, and care partners.
All are welcome.
Click to view informative and inspiring short videos on our YouTube channel
Deborah Shouse is the author of Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together and Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey.
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Musing Together: Looking at Art Expands Skills, Increases Socialization, and Widens Horizons
The group pauses in front of a large contemporary sculpture, depicting a preacher standing before his congregation at a small country church. They walk around the piece, noticing the pews, the organist, and the variety of parishioners, and chatting as they view. Then they settle into chairs and co-facilitator Esther Smith asks: “What is one word that comes to mind when you look at this piece of art.”
“Boring,’ says one woman.
“What makes it boring?” Esther asks.
“It brings me back to my childhood, when I was stuck in church for hours,” she answers. “I was so bored.”
A few others nod. Someone asks, “When was this made? Where is it from?” and the conversation about the art continues.
Every month at the High Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, Teaching Artist Esther Smith guides a group of care partners and people living with dementia on a 90-minute gallery exploration called Musings Together.
“It’s a light-hearted, interactive experience,” Esther says. “We go at a slow pace, seeing only three to four works each time. We want people to have a comfortable, personalized experience with art.”
The open-ended conversation brings out people’s stories and ideas. Sitting in front of Giovanni Bellini’s Madona and Child, Esther asks, “What lines do you notice in this painting? Trace them in the air with your hand.”
After people trace their lines, she asks, “What line was most interesting to you?” That question might lead into a discussion of what makes this painting different. Then Esther might invite the group to pose like the picture. She might say, “How would that baby’s head feel in your hand?”
“These simple prompts launch us into deep conversations,” Esther says. She and her team are experimenting with expanding the sensory experience, including bringing out oranges when they’re gazing at a still life of fruit and letting each guest hold and examine the orange. Esther also invites people to occasionally sketch an aspect of a drawing that appeals to them, using a drawing pad on a clipboard.
“ A number of our participants have never been regular museum-goers. Now they feel comfortable here and come more often,” Esther says. “Developing a new community of friends and an expanding interest in art enriches their lives.” #
Want to look at art with someone who is living with dementia?
If you’re visiting a museum, focus on a gallery with 3-4 large and interesting pieces. Ask a docent for advice, if needed. If you’re at home, give yourself plenty to time to comfortably view a few works of art on-line or in books.
- Bring a folding chair, so you can sit.
- Chose a time of day when your partner is energetic and the gallery is relatively quiet.
- Have fun just noticing the aspects of the piece. You might invite comments on colors, textures, familiar figures, objects that seem odd to you, and other aspects.
- Ask open-ended questions, such as, “What does this piece make you think of?” “What do you like about this piece?” “How do you think that main guy feels?”
When attention wanes, move onto something else, including a lovely coffee or tea break.
Click to view informative and inspiring short videos on our YouTube channel
Deborah Shouse is the author of Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together and Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey.
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A Dream Came True at The Red Ballon Movies & Memories
“I wish I had a red balloon,” one of our guests said, after the inspiring ending of the short film, The Red Balloon. Moments later, the dream came true. Each guest was offered a buoyant scarlet balloon, the magical symbol of a meaningful film.
The Movies & Memories program now has a new time and date: the first Wednesday of each month from 10:30-12:00.
As guests enter the lower level of the 
Plaza Library, they breathe in the enticing aroma of fresh popcorn. Soon, they are settled in comfortable chairs and munching on popcorn and cookies, while being serenaded. They sing along with Richelle Basgall, who engages them with fiddle, guitar, kazoo, and more. They tap their feet and clap their hands, belting out favorite folk songs and old standards, such as Ol’ Suzanna, Que Sera Sera, and I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.
Then the lights lower and everyone watches intently as a young boy and his red balloon form a deep bond, and stick together, despite many obstacles. People were still talking about the movie as they and their balloons trail down the hallway, heading towards home.
Get a taste of The Red Balloon movie event by clicking here.
Many thanks to our wonderful volunteers, including Sharon, Julie, and Pam. And special thanks to Sharon and Elizabeth from Stonecrest for bringing delicious snacks for us.
Our next movie experience is on July 3rd. Please join us for Room on the Broom, and other short films, a celebration of diversity. You’ll love the songs from Robert Gibby Brand, our featured musician.
Click to view informative and inspiring short videos on our YouTube channel
Deborah Shouse is the author of Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together and Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey.
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Let’s have a ball together
We hope you can join us for one or both of these fascinating free events.
Please share with those who might benefit:
