Resident of Standish Village, a Senior Living Residences community in Dorchester, MA, celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Residents living in the Memory Support Neighborhood at Standish Village spent today celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Standish Village, like many other assisted living communities, offered a performance from an Irish Step Dancer. Unlike other assisted living communities, residents spent the morning engaged in an innovative adult learning course, studying Ireland, its history, land and people.

Each week residents at Standish Village and other Senior Living Residences’ communities participate in the Reconnections Program. Reconnections is an experiential-based adult learning program designed specifically for individuals with memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease based on research that cognitive stimulation may slow the progression of the disease. The material-rich learning courses key in on residents’ past and present interests to elicit engaged responses.

As the residents celebrated today, they focused not only on watching a dance performance, but also learning about its origins, history, and relevance in their own lives.

The early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include decreased judgment, lack of initiative, challenges in solving problems, difficulty completing tasks, and withdrawal from social activities.

Residents at Senior Living Residences' Standish Village organized a fundraiser to benefit Haiti Relief.

I have a different picture of Alzheimer’s for you today, shared with me by Brooke Patterson, Memory Support Neighborhood (MSN) Program Director at Standish Village, a community owned and managed by Senior Living Residences.

Most days Brooke begins her day by encouraging the residents, living on the MSN, to come to her daily activity program. The day after the earthquake in Haiti, she came into the community and asked the residents to do just that. The residents all looked at her and asked, “What are we going to do?” She smiled and replied, “Something fun,” the response she offers on most days. The residents looked at her and said “Don’t you know what is going on in the world? We shouldn’t be having fun, we need to do something to help!”

More residents of Standish Village who are organizing a food and water drive to benefit haiti Relief efforts

Hearing about the tragic earthquake that occurred in Haiti, the residents were driven to action to offer compassionate assistance to those in need like many of us across the globe. Responding to the crisis, they have organized a community-wide food and water drive to donate to the Haitian Relief efforts.

The resident-directed drive was organized by individuals who are actively engaged, directed in their purpose, and proud of their compassionate efforts. Each one is living with Alzheimer’s disease.