FINDLAY, Ohio — People with dementia living at the Birchaven Village retirement community are taking part in a new enrichment activity: creating their own paintings inspired by children's books.
In December, specialists and volunteers with Blanchard Valley Health Systems visited the older people as part of a partnership with the Mazza Museum.
Lindsey Buddelmeyer, an occupational therapist with BVHS, said the story or imagery of the book, the act of painting, or interacting with the volunteers is sometimes all it takes to spark an old memory for the residents.
"Even if they never were interested in art, it's just really being in that experience with them to pull on those memories that we wouldn't know about if we just went up and tried to have a conversation," Buddelmeyer said.
As part of the partnership, the finished paintings will be on display at the 1-2-3 Remember Me wall at the Mazza Museum at the University of Findlay, until the next painting event.
Along with the artistic endeavor helping to keep the mind sharp, the initiative can also help those with dementia feel connected with their loved ones and community.
"We never want an individual to feel like they are unworthy," Kimberly Pina, Birchaven Village's assistant administrator, said. "We want to be able to provide them with meaningful experiences. We want them to have a good time where they are at."
And when all the pieces are in place, the project can have magical outcomes.
"We see that these residents are still very high functioning when provided the right environment, one on one support, and are capable of doing really beautiful things," Buddelmeyer said. "That's what we try to celebrate in this project."