Dear Santa,

Last year I asked you if you could help us have Christmas at Grandma’s house. We had it at what mommy calls ‘the home” instead. It just isn’t the same Santa. Mommy says that’s just the way it is. We are going there again this year because Grandma is still sick. I know she has doctors, why can’t they fix her so we can have her at home? A little while ago, I don’t think she knew who I was and I was her favorite she always whispered to me.

Maybe you can fix her Santa. I miss her smile. My mommy cries and says “that’s just the way it is” I miss Christmas at Grandma’s. The home just isn’t the same. There are some people there that scare me. There are some who just sit there and never move. Mommy says Christmas is about Jesus being born and not about you. She talks a lot to Jesus lately. She talks to him about Grandma, but still cries. We all want to know why Grandma got sick, mommy asks Jesus all the time. I don’t know why daddy left us two years ago. Mommy says he didn’t like how much time and money she was spending on Grandma. Santa why can’t we just have a Christmas at Grandma’s house as a family like we used to?
Anonymous Loving child

Use Music to Engage those with Dementia

Alzheimer’s Music Connect has some beautiful music to ease the pain of dementia and help you create some wonderful moments, which will last a life time.   I only which my mother was still alive,so I could share with her the new Christmas CD they just released – Memories – The Songs and Spirit of Christmas.  I know she would have loved listening to it, even though the last four years she could no longer sing the words.  Holiday music always put a smile on her has and she would release small giggles of joy as she listened to the music and tapped her fingers and toes to the rhythm.

Click here to listen to some samples of the CD or MP3.

Click Here to buy the MP3

Altus Oscillation Enhanced Music. Electroencephalography (EEG) testing, which measures electrical impulses occurring in the brain, of this patent pending process conducted with Alzheimer’s and Dementia sufferers, included some or all of the following results:

• Amplified brain activity in the frontal or parietal lobe;
• Greater alertness to the present moment;
• Demonstrated calmness and contentment;
• Became animated by singing or humming along with the music; and
• Showed increased brain activity.

Altus Oscillation™—enhanced music will have the same effect on non-Alzheimer’s/Dementia listeners.

Here is a collection you can listen to year round.

Here is what you will find with this collection.

CD 1: Big Band Medleys (New York City Studio Orchestra) of Al Jolson, Roseland, Boogie Woogie, Dixieland, Palladium Days, Perez Prado – Tito Puente Latin,  Be Bop For Dancing, Stan Kenton (Includes 42 hit songs such as Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Woodchoppers Ball, S’Wonderful and The Saints Go Marching In. [Playing time: 43:34]

CD 2: The Vocal Standards Collection (The Glenn London Quintet) has 15 hits including Blue Moon, Night and Day,  I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover and Sentimental Journey. [Playing time: 46:44]

CD 3: Instrumental Medleys (The Cherry Valley Trio) features 30 all-time favorites such as An Affair To Remember, The Days Of Wine And Roses, Summertime, I Got It Bad, September Song, When You Wish Upon A Star, Ebb Tide and Georgia On My Mind. [Playing time: 52:04]

CD 4: Light Classical Favorites (Molly Stier, piano) include piano works of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann and other masters. [Playing time: 61:27]

CD 5: Meditation for the Caregiver (Michelle Elan) has 12 soothing and restful tracks — Angel Air, Heaven Tonight, Featherbed,  Gentle Breath, The Dreamer and more. [Playing time: 53:48]

“Accepting the Challenge — Providing the BEST CARE for PEOPLE with DEMENTIA” (Teepa Snow) [Viewing time: 2:39:09]

This multi-disciplinary training program is used throughout the world to help both professional and family Caregivers provide the best dementia care possible.Its content, divided into 4 modules, provides interactive classroom lectures and demonstrations including interactions with people with dementia.

Divided into four separate modules for progressive learning, Accepting the Challenge provides training on multiple levels for all learning styles. Interactive classroom lecture and demonstration, for example, is followed by on-site interactions with actual assisted living residents to show both the use and effectiveness of the techniques.

The DVD also features review capabilities for specific segments within each module and a testing section that allows learners to demonstrate proficiency and receive continuing education credits for dementia-specific training. This valuable training DVD was produced by Alzheimer’s North Carolina, Inc.

For Additional Resources on Dementia and Caregiving

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