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MAGIC MOMENTSMAGIC MOMENTS

““There is still a person in there.”There is still a person in there.”

TR Program ForTR Program For Developmental Disabilities & Developmental Disabilities &

Alzheimer’s DiseasesAlzheimer’s Diseases

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Magic MomentsMagic Moments

Innovative Program of The YearInnovative Program of The Year

20042004

New York Association of Homes and New York Association of Homes and Services for AgingServices for Aging

NYAHSANYAHSA

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Magic Moments: An IntroductionMagic Moments: An Introduction

There is something enchanting about the Magic There is something enchanting about the Magic Moment’s program.Moment’s program.

Students with “special needs” are helping Students with “special needs” are helping geriatric adults who suffer from Alzheimer’s geriatric adults who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.disease.

This is a place where people with disabilities, This is a place where people with disabilities, both old and young, accept each other for who both old and young, accept each other for who they are in a relaxed atmosphere without they are in a relaxed atmosphere without passing judgment.passing judgment.

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Key WordsKey Words

Breaking Down BarriersBreaking Down BarriersCollaborationCollaborationCommunity ServiceCommunity ServiceDignityDignityInterdisciplinary Team Work Interdisciplinary Team Work OutreachOutreach

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Magic Moments—Magic Moments—McSweeney School PartnershipMcSweeney School Partnership

A community partnership between an A community partnership between an Occupational Training Center & a longOccupational Training Center & a longTerm care facility.Term care facility.

The McSweeney OTC , Public School 721X in The McSweeney OTC , Public School 721X in N.Y., prepares educationally challenged teens N.Y., prepares educationally challenged teens with mild mental retardation for the world of with mild mental retardation for the world of work.work.

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The Magic BeginsThe Magic Begins

To improve the quality of life for residents To improve the quality of life for residents with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

To provide developmentally disabled To provide developmentally disabled students with an opportunity to develop students with an opportunity to develop leadership skills and build self-confidence. leadership skills and build self-confidence.

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The Magic BeginsThe Magic Begins

A small group of students participated in A small group of students participated in art activities with residents living on an art activities with residents living on an Alzheimer’s unit.Alzheimer’s unit.

Activities were led by recreation staff.Activities were led by recreation staff.

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The Magic BeginsThe Magic Begins

We observed magic between the residents We observed magic between the residents and the students.and the students.

Students took on a leadership role within Students took on a leadership role within the group under the direction of their the group under the direction of their teacher. teacher.

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The Magic BeginsThe Magic Begins

The students gently encouraged residents The students gently encouraged residents to participate fully in activities. to participate fully in activities.

The students’ enthusiasm helped the The students’ enthusiasm helped the residents become excited and more residents become excited and more involved in each session. involved in each session.

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The Magic BeginsThe Magic Begins

Residents responded to the loving touch of Residents responded to the loving touch of these young people.these young people.

The students gained more confidence The students gained more confidence when working with seniors. when working with seniors.

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InspirationInspiration

In the meantime, members of the Nursing Staff’s In the meantime, members of the Nursing Staff’s Lounge Interaction Committee went on a day Lounge Interaction Committee went on a day trip to another long term care facility. trip to another long term care facility.

Members came back inspired to enhance Members came back inspired to enhance services for the Alzheimer’s unit.services for the Alzheimer’s unit.

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InspirationInspiration

The Nursing Department contacted The Nursing Department contacted Therapeutic Recreation about developing a Therapeutic Recreation about developing a special program for residents with Alzheimer’s special program for residents with Alzheimer’s type dementia.type dementia.

The program would move the residents off The program would move the residents off their unit to a Common and provide a greater their unit to a Common and provide a greater variety of activities.variety of activities.

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InspirationInspiration

The program was designed to foster appropriate The program was designed to foster appropriate social functioning of residents with Alzheimer’s social functioning of residents with Alzheimer’s type disease.type disease.

Program stations would be set up in the Program stations would be set up in the Community Hall.Community Hall.

Nursing staff and recreation staff would be Nursing staff and recreation staff would be assigned to facilitate the process.assigned to facilitate the process.

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InspirationInspiration

To further enhance the initiative, students who had To further enhance the initiative, students who had participated in the original unit program were integrated participated in the original unit program were integrated into the new program.into the new program.

Additional students are rotated into what now had Additional students are rotated into what now had become the Magic Moments program.become the Magic Moments program.

The program includes five to eight students who assist The program includes five to eight students who assist recreation therapists and nursing staff twice weekly.recreation therapists and nursing staff twice weekly.

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The ProcessThe Process

The students’ role in the program includes The students’ role in the program includes setting up the room with games such as setting up the room with games such as adaptive bowling, beanbag toss and art. adaptive bowling, beanbag toss and art.

The students model their interactions after the The students model their interactions after the adults. Working as a team with the recreation adults. Working as a team with the recreation and nursing staff, students co-lead activities, and nursing staff, students co-lead activities, encourage residents to participate and serve encourage residents to participate and serve refreshments. refreshments.

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The ProcessThe Process

During each session, students help During each session, students help residents paint pictures, lead exercises or residents paint pictures, lead exercises or sit down for quiet, one-to-one sit down for quiet, one-to-one conversations. conversations.

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Activities that Promote the MagicActivities that Promote the Magic

Art –creative expression, sense of Art –creative expression, sense of accomplishment, reduces anxiety and accomplishment, reduces anxiety and disruptive behaviordisruptive behavior

Music-tranquility, elevates mood, feelings Music-tranquility, elevates mood, feelings of well being, relieves painof well being, relieves pain

Active games-reduce anxiety, promoteActive games-reduce anxiety, promote socializationsocialization

All these activities promote autonomy.All these activities promote autonomy.

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Activities that Promote the MagicActivities that Promote the Magic

Moving the program from the unit to the Moving the program from the unit to the Community Hall opened up the program Community Hall opened up the program and allowed nursing staff, recreation staff and allowed nursing staff, recreation staff and the students to work together as a and the students to work together as a team in an open area where there are team in an open area where there are enough “eyes ” to allow for a wide range of enough “eyes ” to allow for a wide range of resident activities. resident activities.

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InnovationInnovation

The Magic Moments program is original in that it The Magic Moments program is original in that it blends two groups of people who are often blends two groups of people who are often marginalized or “invisible”.marginalized or “invisible”.

Special needs young adults and elderly people Special needs young adults and elderly people with mid-to-end stage Alzheimer’s-type disease. with mid-to-end stage Alzheimer’s-type disease.

The Home took a bold step in bringing these two The Home took a bold step in bringing these two groups together and, in effect, putting them in groups together and, in effect, putting them in the spotlight.the spotlight.

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Benefits of Working with Benefits of Working with Developmentally Disabled StudentsDevelopmentally Disabled Students

• Developmentally disabled students integrated Developmentally disabled students integrated into Magic Moments as leadersinto Magic Moments as leaders

• Non-judgmental reassurance for residents Non-judgmental reassurance for residents • Re-channels problem behaviors into socially Re-channels problem behaviors into socially

acceptable directionsacceptable directions• Students offer praise & humor Students offer praise & humor

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Positive OutcomesPositive Outcomes

The Magic Moments program is an The Magic Moments program is an inspiration to everyone at the Home.inspiration to everyone at the Home.

School staff who have visited Magic School staff who have visited Magic Moments have commented on the growth Moments have commented on the growth of the students. of the students.

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Positive Outcomes For Positive Outcomes For ResidentsResidents

Clinical staff has observed a decrease in Clinical staff has observed a decrease in agitation and wandering, and an increase agitation and wandering, and an increase in attention span and sensory-motor in attention span and sensory-motor function. function.

With the change in environment, residents With the change in environment, residents are more interactive and have a are more interactive and have a decreased level of anxiety. decreased level of anxiety.

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SummarySummary

Magic Moments promotes and defends the Magic Moments promotes and defends the dignity of residents and students.dignity of residents and students.

Residents are receiving individual and personal Residents are receiving individual and personal attention. attention.

The students are learning and growing in a The students are learning and growing in a supportive, structured environment.supportive, structured environment.

Staff creativity is enhanced.Staff creativity is enhanced. Fosters interaction with other departments. Fosters interaction with other departments.

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Afterthought:Afterthought:

Gleeful laughter is often heard during the Gleeful laughter is often heard during the program. This laughter permeates the program. This laughter permeates the building and it is surely a sign of a building and it is surely a sign of a successful program.successful program.

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CreditsCredits

Written by:Written by:

Aileen JonesAileen Jones

Charles SourbyCharles Sourby