The Challenges of Early Stage Dementia
The American Society on Aging’s Aging Today might be published bi-monthly but that doesn’t mean I read it as often or as thoroughly as it deserves. Hence I was struck this week by an article on Early Stage Dementia that provokes more questions and challenges than answers and solutions (unfortunately this isn’t an article that is available to non-subscribers on their web-site). The point that hit me is that, as a result of improved science and medical technologies, we can diagnose dementia earlier and there are some medical interventions that reduce symptoms. What hasn’t caught up is the social, the practical, networks to assist people, their families, and caregivers with this burdensome future. The Alzheimer’s Association, the article reckons, is generally ill-equipped to offer assistance, although a few chapters are beginning support and educational programs. But not enough. The painful irony is that people with a diagnosis of early-stage dementia are far more capable that our system is capable. And what an irony that is.
Can We Create an Earthquake?
Last week I enjoyed a telephone conversation so much I felt I gained a phone friend. And it’s with the very special Lauren Volkmer of ARTZ (Artists for Alzheimer’s). In this rambling introduction to ourselves we used and then repeated various images to agree that there is something very special happening around creativity and aging and creativity and dementia; it has to be a phenomenom of earthshaking proportions. So many wonderful people are working in so many wonderful ways that have deep connections – and Lauren and I agreed we were part of this. But is it a tidal wave or an earthquake? But does it matter as long as it keeps happening?
But the tidal wave seemed to flow through this week’s newspapers here in Greensboro, North Carolina. The first was Monday in that voicebox of capitalism, The Wall Street Journal. There was an article on pyscho-oncology which piqued my interest: “A New View, After Diagnosis“. It is about making life meaningful in the face of fear, in the face of mortality. And from what I read, being creative is, for many people, part of what helps. In my book, creative living in the face of cancer is creative aging at its best.
Another whisper of making meaning is the ad for a set of lectures by James Hollis, Jungian Analyst and Author. He’ll be here at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant Friday July 17th and Saturday July 18th for Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life and What Matters Most. I haven’t found a description of these programs but I’ve already fallen in love with their titles.
The next piece that reverberates for me is in Meet the Artist in GoTriad section of The News & Record. It’s on Robert ‘Bob’ Postma and he is a living and breathing tidal wave of…creativity, creative aging, community creation, and everything of great meaning. I’ve got to meet this man!
Maybe we have it all wrong!
Maybe we do have it all wrong. Recently I had an experience that reminded me that those basic concepts of human psychology matter. I was travelling and had to board a bus…but the bus loaded and unloaded only from one end. Therefore the first to get on had to move to the back in order to allow the other passengers on and were the last off. Savvy travellers crowded near the door and the driver resorted to yelling “We aren’t going anywhere until every passenger gets on this bus, so move back!”. But in this case obeying the rules, the driver, meant the first became last and the last (or those who lingered by the door) first. So the incentive to do the right thing was lacking. And people act according to incentives and personal gain. That’s the pyschological principle I was referring to. And how does this apply to creative aging? Well since none of us want to get old, we most often avoid the subject. Perhaps if we had named this movement “Creative Living Life to Its Fullest” we’d be more successful. People want to live life to its fullest.
Road Trip!
Tomorrow we travel to Washington, D. C. to attend the Open House for the National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA). The special guests are impressive: Dr. Gene Cohen, Maria Genne, Anthony Hyatt, and Stuart Kandell. There will be storytelling, drama, music, poetry and visuals to celebrate the new home of the NCCA. The Center will be partnering with the George Washington University’s Center on Aging, Health & Humanities. Dr. Jean Johnson, senior associate dean for GW’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences said “This is one of the most exciting partnerships. [It] will impact how we teach and think about aging, reaching beyond the GW Medical Center and extending to the national and global communities.”
This is exciting for us because we are the creative aging network for North Carolina! Our communities will benefit from the development of programs based on the research results coming from this partnership. We’ll let you know how the trip goes and what we learn!
To learn more about the Center for Creative Aging-North Carolina (CCA-NC) go to www.cca-nc.org and check us out!
We want to hear from you!
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