Aging is an unavoidable part of life, so we want to make it as comfortable as possible. When our loved ones begin losing mental alertness or experience memory issues, their care givers are challenged to help them maintain a high quality of life.
The Memory Care Unit at Touchmark Senior Living in Appleton is trying something new and creative. For years, they have seen memory care residents transformed by art therapy, so they are adding essential oils to the paint to add aroma therapy to the treatment. If you’ve tried these oils, you have felt the effects. Below you can see the effects of this program. Note the difference between the signature at the top of each page (on left) and the improved signature at the bottom done after the art project was complete (on right).
Evidence of effectiveness is also seen in attitude, mindset, and verbal abilities. The program is so successful the International Council on Active Aging gave Touchmark an award for it. Let’s hope this encourages additional experimentation for new therapies to improve quality of life for those experiencing memory loss.
