BEST OF THE BEST RECOGNITION
MEMORY CARE Company: Country Meadows Retirement Communities Program: “The Unforgettable Adventures of Grandma’s Cape”
“The Unforgettable Adventures of Grand- ma’s Cape” is a story and activity book cre- ated by Country Meadows to help families connect with a loved one who has dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The adventure sto- ry is told from a child’s point of view and features a dynamic, cape-wearing grand- mother who has a “forgetting disease.” Readers, along with the narrator, learn that people with memory loss are still capable of loving and being loved and that com- passion, warmth, and humanity are “super powers” that can be used to maintain a connection with their loved one. The book uses an engaging story, bold illustrations, child-friendly activities, bite-size facts, in- teractive assignments, and suggestions for positive interaction to convey and reinforce the information. “The book helps kids and adults under-
stand a very scary illness by making it a lit- tle more personable and relatable,” says the book’s author, Joel Kroft, executive director of memory support for Country Meadows. “Children learn best through stories and can relate to the love the main character has for Grandma.” Games and activities help reinforce the
book’s messages. Brief fact boxes, called “Memory Minutes,” complement the sto- ry and provide suggestions to help children cope with their own feelings as well as fos- ter a new relationship with their changing loved one. An activity called “My Grandparent’s
Life Story” provides an interactive exercise that the child can complete by engaging his or her grandparent in memories of the past. It also reveals things that the grand- parent and child have in common. “10 Promises to Help Me Validate My Grand- parent” provides a guide to help children and their parents give their loved one the compassion, support, and understanding that they need through all phases of the memory loss disease. Though targeted for children, the book helps people of all ages understand how
34 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE / ISSUE 2 2017
“The Unforgettable Adventures of Grandma’s Cape” was written by Country Meadows’ executive director of memory support, Joel Kroft.
dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can change the way their loved one acts and communicates. It provides concrete steps family members can take to maintain a relationship through those changes. “As people experience challenges from mem- ory loss, the people around them tend to pull away, confused and frightened by the symptoms,” Kroft says. “If we can do more to keep families connected, we can improve the quality of life of people living with dementia.” Kroft hopes that parents will read and
discuss the book with their children. “Kids need a safe place to ask questions like ‘Why does Grandma do this,’ or ‘Why doesn’t Grandpa remember my name?’ This book hopefully creates those openings for fami- lies,” he says.
The book is illustrated by Gabby Hoff-
man, an art student who won the opportunity through a contest at the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. A travelling art exhibit fea- turing all the “Grandma’s Cape” book cover entries is displayed for one month at every Country Meadows location and forms the basis for a series of public relations activities. Those activities have included book readings for children done by residents wearing capes, coloring contests, and library partnerships. To date 5,000 copies of the book have been
printed and distributed to families and com- munity groups. The book has become a stan- dard part of Country Meadows’ packet for families of residents in its memory care neigh- borhoods and is available free at every Coun- try Meadows location and at its sister com- munity, Ecumenical Retirement Community.
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