New cognitive memory program launches in Thompson Okanagan

Photo: Contributed

Karen Littleton, manager of clinical operations at Brookhaven Care Centre; Whitney Speirs, branch manager at Interior Savings West Kelowna; Darcy Jong, therapeutic recreation specialist at Brookhaven Care Centre.

Interior Savings has provided a grant to five Thompson Okanagan organizations to launch the Music and Memory program for those living with cognitive and physical challenges.

Alzheimer's Awareness Month has come to an end, but the therapeutic Music and Memory program has proven to positively impact people living with dementia.

The program provides special training to care givers including personalized playlists to help reconnect people with their memories because music has been proven to awaken the brain.

“Personalized music helps to help create moments of joy and peace, and provides caregivers another strategy to assist those they care for”, says grant recipient Darcy Jong therapeutic recreation specialist at Brookhaven Care Centre in West Kelowna.

With the Interior Savings grant of $10,000 and a matching grant of $10,000 from Concentra's Empowering Your Community Fund, Interior Savings called out to local care organizations in the Thompson Okanagan. The organizations applied for five grants of $4,000 to cover costs of launching the program.

Grant recipients include Brookhaven Care Centre in West Kelowna, Thompson View Manor Society in Ashcroft, Forest View Place in Clearwater, Hillside Tertiary Psychiatric Centre in Kamloops and Good Samaritan in Penticton.

“Many of us have been touched by dementia and similar conditions; whether it’s our family or friends, we’ve seen first-hand the isolation that can result," says Kathy Conway, CEO of Interior Savings.

“As a certified age-friendly business with a community impact goal to promote social connection with age, we’re thrilled to help these organizations launch this remarkable program.”

The starter kits include 15 MP3 players, headphones, a/c adapters, laptop, external speakers, starter music and Music and Memory certification.