For too long, caregiving has been done to people with Alzheimer’s disease on the assumption they can no longer do anything for themselves. But increasingly, care providers are recognizing how much can be done with someone with dementia—that activities and interactions can be enjoyable for both care receiver and caregiver. The Positive Interactions Program of Activities for People with Alzheimer’s Disease outlines an individualized approach that helps you customize your activities to the existing needs and abilities of a person at any stage in the disease.
Featuring 92 step-by-step activities for immediate implementation, this book also provides valuable communication tips that promote positive interactions in each of four categories:
- creative arts
- daily living skills
- physical exercise
- sensory experiences
Professionals in a range of settings—activity directors, social workers, home health caregivers, nurses, nursing assistants, and volunteers—as well as family caregivers can use this activity program to enhance the quality of life of someone in their care.
Sylvia Nissenboim, M.S.W., L.C.S.W., is the Director of the Jewish Community Centers Association (JCCA) Adult Day Services, St. Louis, and the Assistant Director of Senior Services at JCCA. She holds a master’s degree in social work from St. Louis University.
Ms. Nissenboim has worked extensively with the Missouri Adult Day Care Association, serving as presidents from 1985 to 1987. She has served on a wide variety of committees with the Alzheimer’s Association Speaker’s Bureau, Project Esteem, Youth Support Groups, and the Public Education and Relations Committee of the Missouri Alliance for Home Care. She speaks at local, state, and national conferences, and has published numerous articles.
Christine Vroman, L.P.N., has received a degree in human services from Meramec College and a degree in management from Maryville University. Her diverse educational background and her dedication to advocate for a variety of people with disabilities led her to the discovery that the principles and objectives outlined in the Positive Interactions Program can be applied to a number of groups with disabilities. In conjunction with her involvement with Sylvia Nissenboim and their growing consulting and training programs, Ms. Vroman is working with the Life Skills Foundation in St. Louis, where she focuses on promoting competitive employment for people with disabilities.
admin –
“…a fantastic resource for Activity/Recreation Director and their staffs, Social Workers, Home Health Caregivers, Nurses, Nursing Assistants, and Volunteers.”
-Creative Forecasting
admin –
“…wonderful book … highly recommended and should be on the bookshelf of all dementia units.”
-Alzheimers News New Zealand