The picture the media paints of dementia is grim. Coping with dementia, as with any chronic condition, is challenging for sure. But is it the soul-robbing experience often portrayed? I think not.
True, the loss of memory and the ability to navigate one's environment and accomplish the tasks of daily living make life considerably more difficult. But it is the loss of attention, relationship, and esteem that have the greatest impact on the person living with dementia.
I speak from the perspective as a daughter of a father who had vascular dementia as well as being a dance/movement therapist with 30+ years experience with this population. In fact, how we approach the disease and the person with the disease can be an opportunity to practice Buddhist teachings. When I bring embodied presence, compassion, beginner’s mind, and non-attachment to outcome through the medium of dance to a person with dementia, I discover my own humanity as well as the humanity of the other. And frequently I find joy.
Coming up shortly are 2 opportunities to learn how to bring dance to people with dementia in 15-hour trainings, one in NYC, the other Westwood, Massachusetts.
Learn the skills to engage, inspire and uplift older adults and people with dementia through dance and expressive movement. We will look at the symptoms and the strengths of people with dementia and how we can best support them. Through theoretical and practical applications, considerations of essential elements and challenges, I will teach you how to customize your groups to motivate even heterogeneous groups of older adults to express themselves so that each feels seen, heard, and appreciated for who they are. We will learn how to "be with" and how to give language to what we are doing.
This 15 hour training has been approved for 15 Category 1 LMHC CEUs and for 1 R-DMT Alternate Route education credit or 15 ceus. Anyone who is using the course for the 1 Alternate Route credit must complete readings and assignments in addition to attendance in the program.
Bringing Dance to Older Adults and People with Dementia
- 9:30
at the 92Y Harkness Dance Center, 92nd Street Y (between 91st & 92nd street), 1395 Lexington Avenue, NYC.
and
Bringing Dance to Older Adults and People with Dementia
Sat., May 18, 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sun, May 19, 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
at Bridges by EPOCH at Westwood, 140 University Ave, Westwood, MA 02090
Why take this training? I am passionate about the importance of providing dance and dance/movement therapy to people with dementia. You can see me talk about it here. To be as vital as they can possibly be, they need dance and embodied caregiving regularly. It was my desire to engage people with significant dementia that motivated me to create the Octaband® and recently Octaband Links®.
In hopes of providing tools for researchers, I developed The Quality of Life Movement Assessment for Persons with Advanced Dementia intended to discover which interventions are effective for which person, correlating Laban-based movement observations with quality of life parameters. With the help of friend and colleague, Dr. Meg Chang, I wrote The Dance of Interaction, a train-the-trainer manual to aid people in using an embodied approach to train caregivers in nonverbal communication. I have been interviewed multiple times about dancing with people with dementia; here is one of my favorite recent articles. And I have written numerous articles published in peer-reviewed journals to further our successes in reaching and enlivening people with dementia. My ongoing commitment to strengthen the network of effective practitioners and resources is resolute.
What people have said about the trainings:
"I came to my groups today fully inspired and tried a new structure and focused on community building and fun. I led all levels including 2 assisted living groups that both stayed in circle after it was over and didn’t want to leave (they stayed chatting...first time that happened). I got my first response and smile from a memory care client with severe dementia. I got great feedback from an OT who passed by and watched for a bit. A new client with early stage Alzheimer’s is moving to a new facility and wants to 'take me with her'. . . With newly added knowledge, I have observed some remarkable improvements including increased engagement, larger range of movement, increased participation and staff cooperation.” Crystal Pena, student in DMT Alternate Route training
"I bring what I learned from your training into almost every client home by watching and listening carefully for the cues that let me into their brains." Gail Leichtman, Ed.M., LSW, Certified Care Manager, Your Elder Experts
“I loved your training! . . . My style of teaching has evolved. I have integrated the techniques that you taught us at the training. I am getting some great results, and feel I can really connect with many of the 20 residents. I found the training profound and wonderful.”
- Susanne Liebich, Dancing Wellness ™, Healing Motion For Life
I hope you'll join me at one of these two trainings to strengthen the community
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