Other Programs
Super Noggin
Is there is a way to keep your brain sharp as you live longer? Americans spend millions a year on computer-based “brain games,” but research shows that a brain-healthy lifestyle is the most important strategy for the prevention of dementia. Social interaction is a crucial component of that lifestyle, which is why Alzheimer’s Arkansas is offering a holistic, community-based brain fitness program called Super Noggin. We have a class meeting at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church on Tuesdays at 10:00. We will meet weekly for 18 weeks, then go to meeting once per month for a total of a year. We hope to offer a new class in August! Participants only pay $15 for a workbook.
For additional information, contact Stephenie at 501-224-0021, ext. 212 or steph@alzark.org.
What is the Dementia Friends program?
Dementia Friends is a global movement developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom and now underway in the United States. The goal is to help everyone in a community understand the five key messages about dementia, how dementia affects people, and how we each can make a difference in the lives of people living with the disease. People with dementia need to be understood and supported in their communities. You can help by becoming a Dementia Friend today.
The program is designed for individuals, however Dementia Friend Business is a session tailored more for those working in businesses serving people who live with dementia. Tips about how to make the environment more dementia friendly is included.
What is a Dementia Friend?
A Dementia Friend participates in a session led by a champion. Participants learn five key messages about dementia and a bit about what it is like to live with dementia. Then the Dementia Friend turns their understanding into a practical action that can help someone with dementia living in their community. Their action can be as big or as small as they choose – because every action counts!
Funding for this program is made possible by AGEC a Health Resources and Services Administration Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program under grant #U1QHP53054.
Dementia Simulation Experience
The dementia experience is designed to simulate what a person living with dementia might be going through or experiencing physically and mentally. It is designed to induce short term memory loss, decrease peripheral sensation and tactile accuracy, add a measure of physical discomfort, interfere with your hearing ability, decrease your visual acuity, and overwhelm you.
The overall experience only takes a few minutes but can be quite enlightening and, in some cases, emotional. It really helps to demonstrate things in a way that will help those not living with dementia understand more about what could be happening and provides an opportunity for us to be much more empathetic, understanding, and patient.