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Dementia speaker observes Barone Care Center activities
Nevada Daily Mail
Mary Sharp, known nationally as a speaker on the topic of dementia, once again visited Nevada and the Barone Alzheimer's Care Center Tuesday afternoon to observe the center and some of the activities made available to its residents, such as in music.
Sharp had come to the area earlier in May to speak at Moore-Few to Nevada Regional Medical Center's long-term care staff, as well as caregivers and family members, about dementia and how to care for those with it. Based out of Kansas City and founder of the Edcon Group, dedicated to improving environments where people with dementia live, Sharp travels with her husband speaking at conferences on the topic.
Sharp said people are often afraid of dementia and its effects, but added that, even with dementia, those people still have much to offer and need support and community.
"Barone is a very unique building, a very unique service," Barone administrator Angela Barrett said of the center designed for people with dementia, saying Sharp returned to see what they offer to their residents.
Part of that unique service Barone provides includes musical activities held for the residents about every other week, led by activities director Matt Harper, who plays a guitar and leads music while Sonnia Weikel of Fort Scott plays a drum.
During the musical session, Harper distributes instruments like bells, tambourines and drums to the residents.
"I love it," said Weikel, who said she volunteers in part because her father had Alzheimers. "Their faces just light up. It makes me feel like I'm doing something for him."
While observing the musical activities, Sharp interacted with the residents, asking them questions about themselves and also playing instruments herself. Sharp said some of the residents had never before played such instruments but were able to find the beat as soon as the music started.
"Rhythm is the last thing to go," Sharp said.
Weikel, who is in her final weeks of participating in the activity as she prepares to move to Tulsa, said she loves watching the reactions of the residents, saying some of them remember the songs and sing along.
"The music just seems to touch the memory of their youth," she said. "It does me good to see them respond when they might not respond to anything else."
Barone also provides other activities for the residents such as board games and other interactive activities that get the residents involved.
"What they need is community, and they get it here," Sharp said of the activity she witnessed.