As a part of our Memory Care program here at Encore, we’ve teamed up with the Central Florida Creative Care Association to bring our wonderful residents a way to unlock memories thought to be long gone while engaging with youth in the area. The Songbird program allows us to bring students and elders affected by disability together to help bridge a generational gap with music. Our volunteers first receive comprehensive training in brain health education, empathetic activities, and compassionate communication. From there, the young adults are paired with residents living here at Encore. Throughout their school year, the young adults work to create a custom music playlist for their resident…

Nobody wants to see a loved one end up alone and isolated in assisted living or in a nursing home. Even at young ages, the mere thought is unsettling and saddening. Many folks have seen their family members lose who they are because of Alzheimer’s or dementia, and now there’s a new way to fight this affliction. Our staff of caretakers are Music & Memory certified, and are helping those who suffer from cognitive impairments find memories and parts of themselves thought to be long gone through use of personalized music playlists. Giving the Elderly Their Lives Back Through Music Our certified caretakers take a simple yet effective approach to…

An excerpt from the book “Transitions” By Encore’s Director of Environmental Services  Robert Milstid Baby Winters   My trip to the beach was just what I needed to get back in the groove and to start forward thinking again. I was feeling like my old self and relating to the residents at Blue Lakes as I did in the earlier days when I started. Thankfully I’m past the germ-a-phobic stage and can now give myself more fully to my job. I want to be more instrumental in helping the residents through their transitional stages, or at least try to understand them better so I can communicate more on their level.…

Cognitive and memory impairments can change how an individual thinks, feels or acts. These changes present families and caregivers with unique challenges. For instance, an ordinary conversation can be quite frustrating if your family member has difficulty remembering what has been said from one minute to the next. As a caregiver, it is important to familiarize yourself with some of the facts that arise when taking care of an elderly person with behavioral and cognitive impairments, so you can know how to calmly and efficiently respond to different situations. You Will Be Discriminated Against– Individuals with cognitive health issues and their families are often discriminated. For instance, there is a…