INNISFAIL - Every two weeks Mirjam Rand turns on her computer to begin an hour-long session for a group of special clients.
Rand is a 72-year-old retired school teacher who specialized in art. She continues to teach but now it’s has taken on a special meaning.
Her current class, sponsored by the Innisfail Public Library, began almost three years ago. It’s a free program to all participants and called Art from the Heart.
The program, which is funded by Innisfail FCSS, is designed for citizens afflicted with early-stage dementia.
Because of current government COVID-19 restrictions, Rand facilitates her hour-long class by Zoom every two weeks on Tuesday mornings. She now has an art class of six special clients and their caregivers.
“Caregivers are very important because they encourage people, and they help with the set up at home,” Rand said, adding classes must be limited to an hour as clients in this current stage of dementia can become fatigued from trying to maintain their focus.
Before Rand begins instruction there is a special prelude called “visiting”, a time to find out how clients from her group are doing, and how each member’s project has progressed.
“Some will remember, some will not,” she said, adding the “visiting” time is crucial to stimulate the vital social component of the program. “It’s as important as the art. The art is just a channel for people getting together and realizing they are not alone with their memory loss. Those people with early member loss, what kind of a social output do they have? Not much."
“Innisfail has really worked hard to become an elderly friendly town, and this is part of that, to care for those people,” she added.
Innisfail is not the only or first municipality to have this type of program for special citizens afflicted with dementia but it has taken significant importance with the town’s ongoing mission to become an age-friendly community, and being the province’s first rural dementia friendly municipality.
Rand noted the creation of the Art from the Heart program was inspired by Coun. Jean Barclay, whose tireless efforts on behalf of senior citizens created a greater awareness for the need of innovative programs that would keep citizens with early dementia engaged with the community.
“Jean’s mother died of Alzheimer's and she had such a passion that there had to be more things for people with Alzheimer's to do. They’re in their homes, what do they do?’’ said Rand. “She wanted more programming for them, somewhere where they could actually get together with others who are in the same boat. That is how it started, her passion to get this going.”
For its first two years Art from the Heart was offered in-person to clients in the library’s art room but that all changed a year ago with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom technology came to the rescue.
“You have to make it as much as a classroom as possible, simple as possible,” she said. “It really does work a lot better in person. We have a cup of tea and some cookies, so that really opens up that first part to real conversation."
“Of course, it took a long time for me with these folks to get to the point where we did start to talk about and make jokes about memory loss,” she added. “I think that is the best, is when they can get to the point where they can look at themselves, ‘like I did this or I did that'. Isn’t that silly?”
Rand will continue facilitating Art from the Heart until June. She will then take summer off and resume the program in September. It’s a sacred mission for Rand, a mission of love.
“At the beginning I thought, 'oh, I am going to teach art dynamics and everything. No, it’s a vehicle',” she said. “I see the biggest benefit is them feeling they are part of a community of like people, that they are in a supportive community for people with early memory loss.”
Tara Downs, the library’s manager, said there’s also an additional benefit for the entire community, one that will serve everyone into the future.
“Dementia numbers are expected to double over the next 10 years. This is pretty significant,” said Downs. “I think the supports for it and the growing awareness that comes with these supports, will greatly help the community.”
Lindsey Budd, assistant manager of the library, said any citizen interested in the free program can call the library at 403- 227-4407. Budd said she will personally sign up anyone who wants to join, and a program kit – materials clients need for class work - will be prepared and ready for pick-up at the library.
