The poem below was created by the residents from assisted living and individuals from the Day Program at Alzheimer's Resource Center of Connecticut. We held a record five training and poetry sessions there on Thursday, September 2nd. That totaled up to 6 plus hours of poetry in one day!
The staff was welcoming and motivated. The facility is one of the best run and organized among the many places I have had the honor of working at the past 6 years.
The training was organized by Erica DeFrancesco, MS, OTR/L their Director of Community Services. Here is what she wrote the following day, "I cannot tell you how much your coming meant to our organization – to our residents, staff, families, and to me. It was a joy to watch the ease with which you shared your gift and inspired others to learn."
From the moment I was greeted at 9:30 in the morning, until I left that evening a little before 8pm, I was impressed by how enthusiastic everyone was. Michael Smith their Executive Director sets the tone by empowering the staff. Do you know how when you go into a restaurant and the owner greets you and you can feel their pride? Everyone I met that day had pride of ownership and that pride transfers into how they treat the residents and how they treat each other.
We talk about patient centered care, I think the folks at the Alzheimer's Resource Center of Connecticut, have figured out that how you get there is by starting with caring about each other. The word that most comes to mind when I think of that day is- Respect. YES! Sing it now...R.E.S.P.E.C.T!
Shouts out also to Kelly Smith Papa RN, MSN their Director of Education, Research and Dementia Care Consulting, who shared a lovely story about her grandfather writing poetry. Click hear to read about the professional training and consulting they offer.
Below is one of the poems we wrote that day.
Love
Yes, I care for love, but to a point!
Love sounds like……that’s kind of hard. Is this poem going to be G or R?
Love smells like….I can’t tell you that…I’ve never smelled anything.
It smells like chocolate, but it depends upon what kind of chocolate you are buying.
Love tastes… white.
My bride....She is pure, for a little while.
Love is wonderful. It is two people turning into one, walking together, singing together, and we’re overdoing it.
Love to me is very special, and you’re blessed if you find a mate. I was married for 60 years, and I have 8 children.
Love is not something you can ridicule or something you can play with. It’s precious.
Love has never changed.
Love can feel… relaxing, or tense, or secure.
Love tastes like… bananas!
Love smells white, like a rose.
Love sounds like… happiness, cheerful and peaceful, like laughter.
Love looks light. You put your arms around your husband. It looks light, and happy, and content.
It looks FLAMING red!
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