Martha’s Vineyard
The Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living,Martha’s Vineyard, MA The Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living developed the Community Social Connections Program which offers social events throughout the community for persons living with dementia. Monthly outdoor events include, live music in a local park, and outings to a riding stable and museum.
Poydras Homes
Podras Home, New Orleans LA
Poydras created a partnership with the Zeus animal shelter to bring dogs into their
residence where the dogs could roam like in a real home. The residents engaged with
the dogs, groomed them, and made no-sew blankets and ‘Adopt Me’ bandanas in
getting the dogs ready for adoption into a permanent home.
University of Chicago Art Program
University of Chicago Medicin Memory Center, Chicago IL
A program created by the University of Chicago Medicine Memory Center and
GoldMind Arts mailed over 400 curated art kits to persons living with dementia and
their care partners. The kits include art materials and instructions to help people
engage in meaningful art projects in their own homes.
A life fulfilling approach to living with dementia
2022 Innovators
Poydras Home
Podras Home, New Orleans LA
ISH is supporting a new project developed by the Poydras Home of New Orleans: Generation 2 Generation Baking involves elders,
children, and animals at a local shelter. A small group of persons living with dementia from the Poydras Home community will join
together with a small class of young children from Isadore Newman Childcare Center.
2020 Innovator
Windrush Farm, Andover, MA
Windrush Farms – North Andover, MA
Windrush Farm hosted small groups of persons living with dementia for weekly visits to engage
with a horse. Over a series of weeks, participants are guided by a trained horseperson to get to
know “their” horse by name and for the horse to get to know them. Participants groom, saddle,
bridle and walk their horse until they turn over the horse to a person who is living with autism to
ride around the indoor ring. This program creates relationships and provides opportunities for
helping others and feeling a sense of purpose.
2021 Innovators
Virtual Yoga Classes
The Town of Arlington, (MA)
The Townof Arlington MA offered Virtual Yoga Classes to engage persons living with dementia at home and their care partners
in weekly online yoga classes led by instructors with specialized dementia training. The program helped to reach shut-ins
during the COVID years and made the classes available to neighboring towns and cities.
HOPE Dementia Support
CDM Careegiving Serices, Vancouver Washington
I’m Still Here awarded a grant to HOPE Dementia Support, a program of CDM Caregiving Services in Vancouver,Washington. This
monthly program, “Music and Memories”, allows persons living with dementia and their care partners to experience meaningful
music connections and practice music relational skills. The program brings music into the home and care routine through
technology, music streaming and training to transfer the skills of music engagement into practical and helpful tools to decrease
agitation and increase communication. The new monthly group is facilitated by board certified music therapists for those with
memory loss and their care partners. Therapists play accordion and guitar and provide instruments such as drums and rattles for
the participants to use as they sing along. The program will also help participants to create personalized music playlists and offer a
holiday celebration, “Jingling for HOPE.”
Contact: executivedirector@imstillhere.org PHONE: 781-816-5151 EMAIL: info@imstillhere.org
I'm Still Here PO Box 323 Lexington, MA 02420
2023 Innovators
Windrush Farms – North Andover, MA
Bringing people living with dementia into friendly relaxed contact with horses and ponies is the basis of this program. For some
participants, this is a new experience that brings them into contact with animals. For others, an earlier familiarity with horses is
rekindled.
I’m Still Here Foster Pet Home
Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living – Vineyard Haven, MA
The Center For Living hosts a number of programs for people living with dementia and with this grant the Center has opened a
small foster care program for pets awaiting adoption. Participants are having fun visiting, caring for and looking after an assortment
of animals.
Libro de Arte Para Nosotros / Art Book for Us
Silverbright Circle – New Rochelle, NY
Artist and art therapist Elizabeth Gronke received an Innovation Grant to create Libro de Arte Para Nosotros / Art Book for Us: a high
quality picture book illustrated with artworks from around the world. The book will include broad, open-ended questions that
facilitate shared communication among people living with dementia and their care partners.
Marion Waterfront Memory Café Community Excursions
Marion Council on Aging – Marion, MA
Dedicated staff from the Marion Council on Aging's Waterfront Memory Café program have a new opportunity to take groups of up
to fifty program participants on the road in this series of year round outings not previously available to them. This year local historic
landmarks such as Ned's Lighthouse in Mattapoisett, and a Cape Cod Canal cruise, are on the agenda.
S.O.A.R. (Shared Outdoor Adventures for Resilience) Hikes
University of Washington Medicine's Memory and Brain Wellness Center – Seattle, WA
The S.O.A.R. program engages people living with younger-onset Alzheimer’s – often underserved by community services. Monthly
small group hikes are organized and led by the University of Washington team in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation and
encourage adventure and connection with others in the Seattle area.
Therapeutic Drumming for Dementia
Ohio Living Foundation – Westerville, OH
Ohio Living is offering an exciting new drumming program to residents in Breckenridge Village and Mount Pleasant. Regular
participation in therapeutic drumming circles reduces symptoms of dementia, such as aggression, agitation, anxiety, and apathy. As
a fun bonus, residents’ families and caregivers also participate!
Want to Clay?
Joy’s House – Indianapolis, IN
Joy’s House innovative program has hired renowned artist Barb Zech to guide participants through various clay art techniques to
encourage their creative potential. Small groups of people living with dementia are invited to join a weekly pottery studio session
designed to harness the transformative power of art. The pottery that is created will be used in meals and activities at the center.
Field trips to Windrush Farms
A life fulfilling approach to living with dementia
Innovation Programs Grants
I’m Still Here is dedicated to helping persons living with
dementia to flourish by supporting nonpharmacological
engagement programs. ISH provides seed funding for
innovative programs that demonstrate effectiveness in
utilizing the I’m Still Here principles which underscore
the importance of engaging persons living with
dementia and their care partners in all aspects of
community and family life.
I’m Still Here invites applications from individuals,
community organizations, nonprofits and others for
support. Seed funding may be awarded for up to $10,000
for new innovative programs which typically fall within
two categories as described here.
The Arts
Based on its decades-long success creating innovative
arts and cultural programs for persons living with
dementia, I’m Still Here recognizes the value of all the
arts in engaging persons living with dementia. As John
Zeisel wrote in his ground-breaking book, I’m Still Here:
A New Philosophy of Alzheimer’s Care, “Art touches
and engages the brain in a more profound way than
other activities. Arts exist in every community, such as a
local historical society, community theatre, school play or
local musical group.
Community Programs
A fundamental principle of I’m Still Here is engagement
in life, in family, in community. Engagement in
community provides meaning, dignity, and acceptance
for persons living with dementia, their care partners and
the community at large. I’m Still Here supports programs
that embrace the local community as a way to help
individuals facing Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Community theaters, parks, libraries, animal shelters,
county fairs, fruit orchards and many other venues can
be places for engaging activities that serve those living
with dementia and help reduce fear of dementia and
related stigmas.
Contact: executivedirector@imstillhere.org
PHONE: 781-816-5151 EMAIL: info@imstillhere.org
I'm Still Here PO Box 323 Lexington, MA 02420
2023 Innovators
Field Trips to Windrush Farms
Windrush Farms – North Andover, MA
Bringing people living with dementia into friendly
relaxed contact with horses and ponies is the basis of
this program. For some participants, this is a new
experience that brings them into contact with animals.
For others, an earlier familiarity with horses is rekindled.
I’m Still Here Foster Pet Home
Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living – Vineyard Haven,
MA
The Center For Living hosts a number of programs for
people living with dementia and with this grant the
Center has opened a small foster care program for pets
awaiting adoption. Participants are having fun visiting,
caring for and looking after an assortment of animals,
including birds, hamsters and a donkey.
Libro de Arte Para Nosotros / Art Book for Us
Silverbright Circle – New Rochelle, NY
Artist and art therapist Elizabeth Gronke received an
Innovation Grant to create Libro de Arte Para Nosotros /
Art Book for Us: a high quality picture book illustrated
with artworks from around the world. The book will
include broad, open-ended questions that facilitate
shared communication among people living with
dementia and their care partners.
Marion Waterfront Memory Café Community
Excursions
Marion Council on Aging – Marion, MA
Dedicated staff from the Marion Council on Aging's
Waterfront Memory Café program have a new
opportunity to take groups of up to fifty program
participants on the road in this series of year round
outings not previously available to them. This year local
historic landmarks such as Ned's Lighthouse in
Mattapoisett, and a Cape Cod Canal cruise, are on the
agenda.
S.O.A.R. (Shared Outdoor Adventures for Resilience)
Hikes
University of Washington Medicine's Memory and Brain
Wellness Center – Seattle, WA
The S.O.A.R. program engages people living with
younger-onset Alzheimer’s – often underserved by
community services. Monthly small group hikes are
organized and led by the University of Washington team
in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation and
encourage adventure and connection with others in the
Seattle area.
Therapeutic Drumming for Dementia
Ohio Living Foundation – Westerville, OH
Ohio Living is offering an exciting new drumming
program to residents in Breckenridge Village and Mount
Pleasant. Regular participation in therapeutic drumming
circles reduces symptoms of dementia, such as
aggression, agitation, anxiety, and apathy. As a fun
bonus, residents’ families and caregivers also participate!
Want to Clay?
Joy’s House – Indianapolis, IN
Joy’s House innovative program has hired renowned
artist Barb Zech to guide participants through various
clay art techniques to encourage their creative potential.
Small groups of people living with dementia are invited
to join a weekly pottery studio session designed to
harness the transformative power of art. The pottery that
is created will be used in meals and activities at the
center.
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complete list of previous years innovators