The Wabasha County Senior Action Team, working to raise awareness and share resources to help our community age well, sponsored an event held on April 13, 2022 for a virtual reality experience. This experience allowed caregivers to gain a better idea of what it’s like to live with Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body dementia or Parkinson’s disease. Many people from the community attended the event at the Wabasha Public Library where they were able to experience, via Virtual Reality, what it would be like to have one of the dementias that impact our society. The experience was brought to the community by Jenna Barkeim, R.N., BSN who is the training center instructor for Benedictine Living Community in Winona; they use the Virtual Reality experience modules there as part of their staff training.
The feedback provided by participants was very positive and included:
“I’d highly recommend it for people getting a new diagnosis of dementia; wondering what lies ahead, why their loved one is acting so strange and/or living in denial!”
“The perspective of being the one with dementia was so powerful!!”
“Gave good insight into what the person with dementia feels.”
“I see my loved one get frustrated with what he can’t do and it gave me more empathy/ understanding”
“I learned about people’s light sensitivity and it gave me more empathy / patience for those going thru this battle.”
Memory Café Updates
The Wabasha County Senior Action Team continues to host a Memory Café in Wabasha! It takes place on the second Thursday of every month from 1:00-2:30pm. It is held in the back room of the Chocolate Escape in downtown Wabasha. This is a social event for the caregiver and their care receiver who has dementia or cognitive impairment. Attendees socialize, play games, listen to music and enjoy other pleasurable activities. Many people with dementia and their caregivers become socially isolated and a Memory Café is a safe place to socialize and network with others in similar situations.
Please join us or let someone else know about us!
Memory Café
FOR: People coping with memory loss and their caregivers to socialize, laugh, and learn with others in an understanding and friendly atmosphere
WHEN: Second Thursday of each month, 1:00-2:30pm
WHERE: The Chocolate Escape, 152 W. Main Street, Wabasha, MN
THE WCSHAT TEAM works collaboratively to implement Dementia Friendly initiatives as part of the Community Health Improvement Plan and includes representation from Ace Brain Fitness, Elder Network, Gundersen St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and Clinics, Southeast Area Agency on Aging, Wabasha County Public Health, Wabasha Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP), Wabasha Public Library, community members, and senior advocates.
SHIP is a state-based program that works at the local level to support healthier communities by expanding opportunities for active living, healthy eating, well-being and commercial tobacco-free living. If you would like information about partnering with Wabasha County SHIP, please email at tmoen@co.wabasha.mn.us or call her at 651-565-5200.
