Why TDP Matters to Me: 

The most inspirational part of my experience with the Dementia Project is seeing the transformation in the residents. In the past year, I have noticed three new residents, that attend the Silent Disco, join the Kemper House. During their first event, they were not very familiar with the songs we sang and were a bit startled by the headphones I placed over their ears. The magical part occurs just a few months later when I notice subtle yet incredible changes in their behavior. These new residents know every word of the songs that we sing in the live session. They have created routine movements and specific ways they use the maracas. Each resident has their own signature move; a stomp and a clap with the maraca or shaking the maraca twice to the left and then to the right. They begin reaching out to me for the same headphones they used to feel unsure of.
 Very quickly, the Silent Disco at the Kemper House became my favorite part of the week. Playing a role in this transformation has impacted me in that I realized I have a special connection to this patient population. This safe space that The Dementia Project creates will continue to build musical memories for myself and the residents alike. 

TDP has such a special place in my heart and I hope that after reading our mission it will hold a place in yours. Any donation makes a difference for us! 

-Rita TDP Volunteer and TDP Non Profit Member

The Alzheimer's community is faced with the hard reality of this disease and the questions that come with it. It's an unspoken truth that we all make memories to, one day, be the ones sitting in our rocking chairs and sharing them with our grandchildren...What kind of world allows for that one simple joy to be stripped away from us? What's the point in life if these incredible men and women can't even remember those that they love the most? We believe that the point of life is not to remember it all in the end. It is to live for others so that they will remember you, and your memory can live on through them. In the same respect, we have a responsibility to remember the lives of these incredible individuals. That way, for as long as they forget, we will always remember them.  

What are you donating towards? The Dementia Project envisions a world where moments of remembrance and connection are ordinary for caregivers and family members. We envision a world where dementia care partners have easy to use, accessible tools at their finger tips to provide engaging experiences that bring moments of joy. Since memories are rooted rhythmically in the brain, and this skill is preserved throughout dementia, engaging with a familiar song can serve as that powerful tool that spurs remembrance and connection for people with dementia. However, one’s ability to focus their attention to engage with music declines as the disease progresses. In order to create shared memories through music, we needed a medium that allowed everyone to experience music at the same time, while catering to the needs of dementia through tailored musical engagement. And so we became the first organization in the country to repurpose silent discos for the needs of dementia care, working with neurologists and caretakers in the process. 

Our Dementia Project Silent Discos have connected loved ones and continues to create moments of joy for our partnered families, facilities, and volunteers. We ask for your donation to allow our organization to make silent discos accessible and commonplace in Ohio dementia care. With your donation of $20 or more, you will receive our TDP memory necklace. Every donation brings us one step closer to creating joyful memories in a disease too often characterized by what is forgotten.

The Dementia Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent permitted by law. Our EIN is 30-1274504 and you will receive a donor acknowledgment letter via email. Necklaces will be sent out via mail every Monday and you will receive your necklace within a week of your donation. 

www.dementiaproject.org