Bird Tales

Randy L. Griffin, RN, MS, HNC, is an expert in the field of dementia care. With more than 30 years of experience—ranging from nursing and nutritional services to program development and health care administration—Randy is pioneering the practice of “intentional caregiving” for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Her approach centers on treating the whole person, not just the individual’s symptoms, by creating a culture rich with emotional nourishment. Her book Changing the Culture for Dementia Care, published by PESI Health Care, is now available on Amazon.com, Pesihealthcare, and Barnes & Noble.

Randy’s programs and models have set new standards in caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias while educating their families and caregivers. Randy recently developed “The Trusting Touch,” a Webinar that teaches the importance of intentional actions and verbal communications during such activities as bathing, dressing and dental care. Randy also is the author of “S.A.F.E. Response Techniques in Crisis Situations,” a four-step process to show staff how to safely handle agitation and address aggressive behaviors when caring for people with dementia. In addition, Randy has developed innovative dining programs for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Earlier in her career, Randy was the Director of Nutritional Services for the Connecticut Hospice, the first free-standing hospice in the U.S. While working for the hospice, she developed one of the first sensory-enhanced pureed cuisine culinary programs for terminally ill individuals. She also authored the first published cookbook on the formation of sensory-enhanced purees. Later, Randy was the Associate Director of the Alzheimer’s Resource Center and also served as its Director of Education, Training, and Research. Her background in nursing and culinary training as a chef in Paris provided the impetus for her innovative approaches to nursing care, dining creations, and culture change for long-term care facilities. “Dining with Grace” is one of the programs she created specifically to enhance the dining experience for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Randy is also a Certified Holistic Nurse, Reflexologist, and Therapeutic Touch practitioner and instructor. Randy’s DVD, An Introduction to Therapeutic Touch, was released in June 2012. Recognized as an expert in the fields of dementia and hospice care, Randy lectures and leads workshops nationwide while providing consulting services to health care facilities. For more information about Randy, please visit: www.randy-griffin.com.

Ken Elkins believes that an appreciation for the plants and animals in a person’s community is the first step in leading them to conservation action. Ken knows his program participants are not always the ones who are ultimately influenced to take action. He has found that cultivating an appreciation for nature in one person can have a cascading effect on a family or even a community.

He likes to illustrate this point through a real life story: A three-year-old boy visited the Audubon Center at Bent of the River during a field trip. The experience left quite an impression on the boy, so he dragged his grandparents back to the Center that afternoon. The boy and the grandparents returned once a week for over a month to come watch feeders, see displays, and ask questions. The grandfather started to enjoy himself as much as the boy, so he became a member, started attending programs, and eventually became a dedicated volunteer. The grandfather is now an active part of the Center, all because a three-year-old went on a field trip.

Ken earned his degree in Environmental Biology from S.U.N.Y. College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and has worked in the environmental education field for over 10 years before joining the Bent of the River staff in 2008; he spent 7 years with CT Audubon Society, and 3 with Westmoor Park in West Hartford. Ken’s interest in birds started when he was 10 years old, while watching the birds at his grandmother’s feeders in Vermont, and he has been obsessed ever since.

Ken Elkins is one of 40 individuals nationwide selected as a 2011 TogetherGreen Fellow. Supported by a conservation alliance of Audubon and Toyota, the TogetherGreen Fellowship offers specialized training in conservation planning and execution, the chance to work and share best practices with gifted conservation professionals, and assistance with project outreach and evaluation. Each Fellow receives $10,000 towards a community-focused project to engage local residents in conserving land, water and energy, and contributing to greater environmental health.

With his Fellowship, Ken developed a new program for Audubon. Bird Tales incorporates Audubon At Home environmental principles into the goals of assisted living facilities to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia. Ken has always embraced the challenges of working with a new or non-traditional audience as an environmental educator. With his work with dementia patients, he’ll be using the healing power of nature to enrich the lives of others.