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PREFACE

How My Desire for Connection Guided Me through the Land of Dementia

For several years, I’d wanted to write about the creative possibilities inherent in being a care partner for someone living with dementia. But I didn’t know how to start. The documentary film Alive Inside pointed the way. When I watched this powerful movie about music transforming the lives of those living with dementia, I knew I wanted to write about this subject.

I contacted a national magazine and suggested an article. The editor asked, “How else are people communicating with those living with memory loss?” As I researched the question, I discovered a whole new world: Across the globe, writers, painters, musicians, gardeners, dancers, expressive therapists, and other innovators were using the arts, creativity, and imagination as connecting points, tapping into the spirit that thrives in those living with dementia. I was intrigued, and I knew family and professional care partners would also be intrigued and benefit from their ideas.

As my partner Ron and I traveled the world, orchestrating workshops and performing dramatized stories from my book, Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey, we were inspired by the hundreds of family and professional care partners we met. From Ireland to New Zealand, from Canada to Chile, we all burned with a common passion: to stay deeply connected with those who were living with dementia. And we were not alone. According to the World Alzheimer’s Report, by the year 2030, 74.7 million people worldwide will be living with dementia. At this writing, there is no cure. But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope. The experts I interviewed offer many ways for care partners to stay connected and creative.

This book presents imaginative activities that help you stay linked throughout the dementia journey. These ideas honor the creative spirit, reminding us we can all make a difference, one painting, one song, one smile, one shared experience at a time.