In July, I accompanied museum educators from 5 Wisconsin museums to NYC to learn about developing programs for families with dementia. The John Michael Kohler Art Center (Sheboygan); the Museum of Wisconsin Art (West Bend); the Racine Art Museum (Racine…); the Milwaukee Public Museum; and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum (Wausau) were all awarded planning [...]
Archive for the ‘disability’ Category
Wisconsin Museums Visit NYC
Posted in art, cultural phenom, disability, tagged alzheimer's, cultural programs, dementia, MoMA, museums on August 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Museum in a nursing home
Posted in art, cultural phenom, disability, public education, tagged alzheimer's, art museum, hebrew home, nursing home, riverdale on June 12, 2009 | 1 Comment »
It’s really amazing what MOMA and other museums are doing now – offering educational programs in art to people with dementia and their families. But a NYT’s article today explores an even more radical step – bringing the museum to the nursing home. At the Hebrew Home in Riverdale, they have opened a Judaica museum. [...]
Post Think-Tank Thoughts
Posted in art, cultural phenom, disability, public education on May 29, 2009 | 3 Comments »
Finally. I had a day (sitting in my hotel room in LA) to just think and research and write about all the things that happened in the Think Tank at UWM. Here are my thoughts about core themes and concepts that came out of the incredible mix of people who gathered in Milwaukee May 13-15, [...]
Bridge Game Irony
Posted in cultural phenom, disability, science of memory, tagged 90+ study, alzheimer's, cards, memory loss, super-memory on May 22, 2009 | 1 Comment »
A really fascinating article today in the NYT’s about the “super-memory” study of the 1 in 200 people who make it to 90 with their cognition largely in tact. And the 1 in 600 who make it to 95 without a diagnosis of dementia. The study of these folks by USC and UC Irivine is [...]
Episode One: HBO’s Alzheimer’s Project
Posted in art, cultural phenom, disability, film, public education, tagged alzheimer's, creativity and dementia, episode one, HBO Alzheimer's Project on May 11, 2009 | 1 Comment »
I didn’t hate it! Nick Doob is a phenomenal cameraman – and he and Shari Cookson directed and produced this episode. I’m a little baised on that front, he has worked with my husband on a couple of films as well…so I admit that warmed me up for this episode. Here are my thoughts as [...]
Transforming Activities in Long Term Care
Posted in art, cultural phenom, disability, music, public education, tagged Activities, alzheimer's, david greenberger, dementia, HBO Alzheimer's Project, long term care, meaningful, memory loss, Think Tank on May 6, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Activities. The word makes me think of things people don’t really want to do, but are coaxed into. The word seems a cold categorization of things that keep us busy and not thinking about other things…things that we might not have anymore. I’m neck deep in thinking about “activities” now as I prepare for the [...]
The Pre-Game to HBO’s Alzheimer’s Documentaries
Posted in cultural phenom, disability, film, public education, science of memory, tagged alzheimer's, David Shenk, dementia, film, HBO Alzheimer's, Maria Shriver, Naomi Boak, NYTs Magazine, peter whitehouse on May 1, 2009 | 2 Comments »
And now we learn, in the 2 weeks before the release of HBO’s new Alzheimer’s Project on May 10th, that Maria Shriver is an executive producer. She’s making the press rounds to promote the project now – I’ve seen her last Sunday’s NYT’s Magazine and this article and interview in AARP’s mag. I am reminded [...]
Social Isolation as Torture?
Posted in cultural phenom, disability, tagged Atul Gawande, dementia, isolation, memory loss, torture on April 28, 2009 | 1 Comment »
I first started reading Atul Gawande’s piece on solitary confinement in the New Yorker because 1) I pretty much love anything he writes, and 2) I love picking up the New Yorker and falling down rabbit holes of fascinating research and beautifully written tales. But pretty quickly I realized this article has implications for long [...]
Cognitive Enhancement in the Age of Dementia
Posted in cultural phenom, disability, history of memory, public education, science of memory, tagged adderall, carl elliott, memory loss, neuro enhancers, peter whitehouse on April 25, 2009 | 2 Comments »
I just read a fascinating article called “Brain Gain” in the most recent New Yorker. At first blush, one might not connect the stories of college students (or professional poker-players) taking “neuro-enhancers” like Adderall for a cognitive boost with concerns over memory loss. But raising for bar for “normal” cognition creates greater pressure and worry [...]
