Month long project receives grant
Miranda Wycoff
Issue date: 3/24/05 Section: News
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The Heart of America Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association has given a grant to Central to bring "the FORGETTING and the REMEMBERING" to Central this month. The Department of Sociology and Social Work is sponsoring the event.
The month-long project featured a formal program that took place Monday afternoon in the Union Ballroom.
The program included a display of "Memories in the Making," artwork that was created by patients with dementia, and dramatic interpretations by the Creativity Connection.
Also, as part of the month-long project, an interactive sculpture by Matt Dehaemers is currently on display in the informal discussion area to the left of the main entrance of the James C. Kirkpatrick Library.
To begin Monday's program Michelle Niedens from the Heart of America Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association spoke, informing the audience that over four and a half million people are affected by Alzheimer's.
Niedens' remarks were followed by three readings from Ron Zoglin and Deborah Shouse of the Creativity Connection. Both Zoglin and Shouse had a parent that was diagnosed with the disease.
Shouse was inspired to write about her mother' "moments" with Alzheimer's and has been published in Chicken Soup for the Caregivers Soul.
"After that I began noticing the gifts...my mom still had so much to offer me and I could still connect with her in a deep way," said Shouse. "It (Alzheimer's) may not be the first choice for this to happen, but you have got to remember to stay in the moment."
Jean Nuernberger, Chair of the department of sociology and social work at Central spoke next about her experience with her sister who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in her 40's.
"Memory is still there...I always saw my sister there, in the occasional smiles, in the times that I heard her say 'hi' when I hadn't heard her speak in weeks...she was still in there," said Nuernberger.
Matt Dehaemers, artist of the multi-media interactive sculpture that is on display in the library spoke at Monday's program as well.
The sculpture is entitled "The Significance of the Moment" and is a four foot wooden head with a seven inch LCD screen in the forehead. The screen plays a video of Deheamers' interaction with the "Early Stages Group" at the Heart of America Chapter.