I invite you to log onto the home page - www.thealzheimerspouse.com - and read this week's blog by our newest guest blogger - Raquel Farrell-Kirk, art therapist. I love her idea - it's quiet, calm, and offers a chance to re-connect with your spouse.
My thoughts too Mary. If I ever get settled in the new place maybe I can get my self organized and get back to sewing/embroidery and doing something for myself. DH says "It will be okay" of course he is not the one taking care of everything.
Joan, I read the article and only wish my wife had enough left to participate with this activity. When we where young we used to sit at the kitchen table and spend an evening with brown paper, crayons and a bottle of wine drawing ideas of where our life was going. We never went down the alz. road didn't even know what it was. Last fall when the nurse was helping her she brought markers and a drawing pad that sat never opened by Mar, even though the nurse and I encouraged her to draw with us. I wish helping alz. people could be as easy and whimsicle as this sounds. I hope it will give someone some joy and meaning, to late for Mar.
Some of the residents where my DH is who are in earlier stages of the disease have participated in Art Therapy with some wonderful results. For those that can and want to participate, it can be very good.
My hb never drew, painted, sketched, etc. He's now a participant in a "Circle of Art & Lunch Program" in a town 45' away. He likes it and does some "stamping" of cards or whatever is going on artwise. Sessions may include music, too, which he enjoys. He plays the piano a little. They also play games that require some physical effort (hot potato w/ball, bean bag toss, etc.) A professor at our local college has worked w/Alzheimer patients and gave a talk to a group I attend that was quite interesting. She showed some pieces that patients had done that were quite nice. She'd submitted one to a County Fair, and it won a ribbon; so she put the painting on the patient's door at the NH. To her, she won a ribbon every day and others complimented her daily.