Some may think of poetry as just pretty rhyming words, or as that class we took for an English credit in college. As it turns out, though, poetry is actually pretty powerful as a means of therapy for Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the University of Exeter have found that reading poetry can stimulate areas of the brain linked to memory. Creative pursuits in general have shown positive effects when used as part of an Alzheimer’s care plan. Dr. Bruce L. Miller, Professor of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco has been helping to shed light on just how beneficial creative outlets are for people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. In fact, according to his research, creativity appears to be an area untouched, and for some even enhanced, by the disease.
Contact us online or call us at 940-380-0500 or 972-245-1515 to learn more about how we can help with in-home Alzheimer’s care.
The Alzheimer’s Poetry project has been using the power of poetry to facilitate the creativity of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, and to help enhance Alzheimer’s care. According to the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project, data indicates that a significant number of people in mid- to late-stage dementia remember words and lines from poems they learned in childhood. The project uses these memories to help engage clients and promote positive social interactions.
Molly Meyer, founder of Mind’s Eye Poetry (www.mindseyepoetry.com), helps to facilitate the creation of group poetry by Alzheimer’s patients. The following is a poem that the residents of U.S. Memory Care in Colleyville, TX wrote together during one of Molly’s poetry sessions.
Memories Linger
The smell of rain
fills the autumn night.
Leaves stream softly,
a waterfall of light.
A lonely bench rests
in the glow of night.
Memories linger
in silence.
Learn more about the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project here.
At Heaven at Home, one of the top home health agencies in Denton, TX, our caregivers are specially trained in helping those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and will work with each person’s family to create an individualized care plan to maximize safety and independence, as well as to develop engaging activities that will help create a higher quality of life for the client. Call us any time for more information about our Alzheimer’s care in Denton, TX or the nearby areas at 866-381-0500, or fill out our online contact form to let us know how we can help. To find out if we provide care in your community, please visit our Service Area page.