A reception for the art exhibition Belong Where You Find Yourself will take place on Sunday, May 7 at 1:00-4:00pm. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind art exhibition, showing in Yorkton at the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery from April 5 – May 23.
This is going to be a really unique exhibition—a wide of range of different artworks created by a group of local artists and craftspeople working collaboratively and individually across drawing, painting, photography, film making, storytelling, musical theatre, wood working, sculpture, and fabric art.
Older adults interested in learning about dementia and nutrition risk reduction strategies to prevent dementia while developing or enhancing food literacy skills.
Caregivers of persons with dementia who are interested in learning about evidence-based nutrition risk reduction strategies while developing or enhancing food literacy skills.
Program Delivery:
Program includes 6 sessions (with about 10 participants) that include both a food preparation and socialization component.
Several offerings of the program will be delivered both in-person and virtually throughout the project.
Contact
If you are interested in learning more about this project, please email:
Dr. Allison Cammer Assistant Professor College of Pharmacy and Nutrition University of Saskatchewan allison.cammer@usask.ca
Check out our additional links and resources to stay connected with the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan and learn more about dementia and dementia friendly communities.
On November 16th, 2022, the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan hosted two events to help residents from Yorkton and area learn more about dementia and what a dementia friendly community means.
The Dementia Friendly Life Enrichment Program at SaskAbilities enhances the quality of life of individuals living with dementia in Yorkton and surrounding rural communities. Through the program, SaskAbilities has been able to reduce caregiver burnout and increase social connections by providing one-to-one services and group programming for people living with dementia. Since the program began in 2021, a total of 48 individuals living with dementia and their care partners have been served across nine different communities.
As restrictions ended for COVID-19 earlier this year, Dementia Friendly Facilitators expanded their supports into the community. One group activity per month was planned for people living with dementia and their care partner to attend. Group outings included mini golf, going to the museum and having lunch as a group.
By engaging with the community and accessing different venues, SaskAbilities found that local businesses are becoming more dementia friendly. For example, the Esterhazy Bowling Alley ensured the facility was quiet when the group visited, Mano’s Restaurant in Yorkton ensured that they had a quiet and accessible banquet room for group programming, and the Golf Course Club House at Madge Lake ensured the location for lunch was accessible and quiet. When businesses took meaningful steps towards becoming dementia friendly, the participants’ comfort levels increased.
During the group outings, friendships developed amongst care partners and those living with dementia. Care partners have shared contact information and met with each other outside of group gatherings. Natural support groups have formed between care partners as a result of group programming.
Similarly, participants of the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery’s project, Belong Where You Find Yourself, enjoyed visiting with each other and supporting each other during their group meetings in September and October. The participants are able to connect and share updates about their art projects. For the participants with dementia it was a social time and a time for connection. For the care partners who are often juggling multiple commitments and obligations, the group meetings were a time for mutual support.
There are 12 artist participants in the art gallery’s program currently working collaboratively and individually with drawing, painting, photography, filmmaking, storytelling, musical theatre, woodworking, sculpture and fabric art.
The Lead Artists are following principles of community engaged practice. They include input from all participants and involve their feedback and learning at every stage. The result so far is an organic and meaningful engagement that is bringing people together, bringing families together, creating new friendships and support networks, and capturing moments of beauty, clarity and connection.
During a coffee break, a few care partners who were visiting together told a Lead Artist how hard it is to find the time to talk to other care partners who are going through similar situations. The large meeting felt like a place where they could finally do that. Participants shared and listened to each other, celebrated each other’s successes and joyful moments, and held space for difficult emotions. One care partner said:
“We talked about meeting as a group or individually. Individual meetings are great but, I also like us meeting as a larger group. It is a time to make connections with the other people. As caregivers we can share our thoughts and concerns and ask questions of each other. For people living with dementia it is a time to be out. For some, it will be an outing that they would not otherwise have. I feel it is important for both the person with Alzheimers and their caregivers. It is reassuring that we are not alone in this journey.
(My spouse) has never painted and now he will just paint some abstract pictures. I think he is releasing some anxiety. We would have never thought of that before this wonderful program. The creative is a wonderful new outlet for us. The bonus is the wonderful people and connections we have made.”
The Canadian Association on Gerontology’s annual conference typically attracts over 500 researchers and practitioners from across Canada. Ten members from our own project team attended the conference held in Regina on October 20-22, 2022. Our project members presented three presentations, including two oral presentations and one large group workshop.
In our 5-year community-driven project, we have employed a Collective Impact approach to enhance social inclusion for persons with dementia and their care partners in rural Saskatchewan. During our group workshop on using the Collective Impact approach, each Collaborating Organization presented a poster about their project.
Click on the image below to read our project’s Workshop Booklet featuring posters presented during the workshop:
Join the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan in Yorkton – Wednesday, November 16th – to learn more about Alzheimer Society programs and services and how you can help create a more dementia friendly community.
Wed, Nov 16, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Yorkton Public Library 93 Broadway St W, Yorkton SK
For more details, see the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan’s website: here
Learn more about how organizations and community members around Yorkton and Melville are working with the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan to become more welcoming and accessible to people living with dementia and their care partners.
