When a care recipient with Alzheimer's or dementia cannot interact like they used to, how do you forge connections in a new way? That's the question Helga Strauss was faced with when she became a caregiver for her father. Seeking the joy and laughter they had always shared, she turned to visual art—and suddenly, a practice she had always loved rekindled the pathways between them.
Today, Helga is a certified therapeutic art practitioner and artist. She applies the skills she developed, while scribbling and dancing to meaningful songs with her father, to assist others in similar situations. Both caregivers and care recipients can discover the power of enjoying the moment and focusing on the process, rather than trying to "fix" or revert to a former self. The pride and joy that come from creating art foster a new way of listening, enabling self-expression and helping to process pain, ultimately rebuilding those precious shared connections.
Learn from Helga's welcoming and creative approach to caregiving:
Resources:
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