Individual preferences, interests, hobbies, and stage of cognitive impairment are all factors in planning for visits with our dear friends. We visit one person at a time, engaging her in specific activities that she enjoys. As a result, when we find something that is “unique” to that dear friend, we take note of it.
One of our dear friends is a former music teacher who grew up in a household of musically talented siblings and parents. At our visits with her, we play the resonator bells while she plays the piano. We play and sing familiar songs, one of which is “Let There Be Peace On Earth.” Each time we play that song, our dear friend tells the story of when she and her brother would argue as children, their mother would begin playing “Let There Be Peace On Earth” on the piano. That was a signal for our dear friend and her brother to straighten up! She laughs each time she tells it. We love hearing that story and think it is wonderful that our visits promote a favorite childhood family memory.
One of our Lady-Links found a hand-stitched framed artwork with the saying “Let There Be Peace On Earth” in our community’s Treasure Chest Sale (sort of like an estate sale with proceeds benefiting charity). That Lady-Link bought it for our dear friend, with the intent that it would be a gift from all of us. At our next visit, our dear friend was very touched to receive it, and it was a delightful moment for all of us.
It is a joy to get to know our dear friends and to find meaningful, personal ways to enrich their lives. After all, we are each uniquely created, and that doesn’t change simply because we lose some or all of our cognitive abilities. How are you enriching the lives of your friends and loved ones in cognitive decline? Listen carefully for clues of what make them unique, then find a way to enhance that. You’ll make a new memory for yourself, and you’ll help them revive a positive memory that may have otherwise been lost. It will be a truly unique experience for both of you.
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