The Hummingbird Herald Autumn/Winter 2023 Edition

The Hummingbird Memory Cafe presents

THE HUMMINGBIRD HERALD Living Better With Dementia & Finding Joy in Our JOurneYs

TRANSITIONS IN OUR LIVES Find joy in change | 2

AUTUMN/WINTER 2023

ELEMENTS OF A CAFE GATHERING Integrating the arts, laughter and social connections | 7

ADVOCACY & ACTIVISM Together we can create a more inclusive world | 9

The mission of the Hummingbird Memory Cafe is to provide a relaxing place for people with dementia and their carers to gather, celebrate humanity, and make connections with others in similar situations.

W H A T ' S

I N S I D E

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Share your ideas about living better with dementia and how we might find joy in our JOurneYs.

04

Cafe Foundations provides insight into the who, when, where, why and how of the origins of the Hummingbird Memory Cafe.

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Cafe Creativity: The HeART of living Better With Dementia provides a variety of ways we can create with others or in our own solitude.

14

Build Your Own Creativity Kit: Home Supplies Edition

17

Collective Cafe Creativity: Explore original poems about the seasons collectively written by cafe participants and learn more about writing your own poem.

27

Review multiple resources for living well with dementia and finding joy in our JOurneYs.

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Autumn/Winter 2023

IDEAS WANTED The Hummingbird Memory Cafe welcomes suggestions and resources for supporting people living with dementia, their carers and other community members who are reimagining how we might live better with dementia and find joy in all of our JOurneYs. Please contact the cafe with your ideas about creating a world that is accessible and inclusive for all of us.

CONTACT US Phone/Text: 505-787-6322 Email: hummingbirdmemorycafe@gmail.com Website: www.hummingbirdmemorycafe.com

CONNECT WITH US @hummingbirdmemorycafe Disclaimer: The Hummingbird Herald is published with the intent to share resources that may be able to support us in living better with dementia and finding joy in our JOurneYs. It is not meant to replace professional medical advice and counseling. Readers are encouraged to seek their own advice as deemed necessary. The author disclaims any liability arising from application of information in this publication.

Autumn/Winter 2023

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TRANSITIONS IN OUR LIVES: Finding joy in change Welcome to the Autumn/Winter 2023 edition of the Hummingbird Herald where we celebrate the transition to a new season and continue to embrace the possibilities of detragedizing and reimagining dementia.

As the seasons transition, so too are my personal and professional commitments changing. It has been an honor to be involved with the cafe family and collaborating on original works such as this cafe magazine and the creativity kits, though the Autumn/Winter editions of each of these cafe components will be their final editions. Intermittent emails with information about resources, as well as social media content will continue to be posted on a regular basis.

This edition of the cafe magazine provides many opportunities to explore the cafe format and engage in experiences that celebrate the creativity that exists within all of us while allowing ourselves to reflect on what has gone well this year, and consider what our next steps might be.

If you would like to share your experiences and how you are finding joy in your JOurneY with dementia, please reach out to the cafe (hummingbirdmemorycafe@gmail.com).Whether it's through links, essays, poetry, drawings or any other form of creative expression, your contributions to the café conversations are appreciated.

As always, let the café know if there is anything else we can do to support your JOurneY. May these last few months of 2023 provide opportunities to celebrate you and your family, the challenges that you faced head on and where you might go as we move into a new year with new possibilities to find joy in our JOurneYs. Sending love, peace and joy, Nicolette McDermott-Ketchum Facilitator, Hummingbird Memory Cafe We are grateful to individuals and organizations who engage with the cafe and stay in touch via in person contact as well as social media, email and phone calls. We are also grateful to those individuals, businesses and organizations who have made in-kind donations and share their knowledge and skills to support the activities of the café.

Thank you to everyone involved with the cafe family. Everyone who engages with the cafe brings something special--your ideas, your sense of humor, your stories and more. We are all so lucky to have each other, especially as the world around us is going through so many changes. If you are interested in learning more about the cafe resources, please contact the café.

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DEAR: Navigating the JOurneY of Dementia An acronym that may be helpful for organizing how we embark on a JOurneY in living better with dementia is DEAR (Diagnosis, Education, Assemble, Resources).

D IAGNOSIS

Seek a diagnosis if you are having brain changes: What is it?

E DUCATION

Receive education about the diagnosis: What do I need to know?

A SSEMBLE

Assemble a team to support your JOurneY (family, friends and professionals in the field): Who will support my journey?

R ESOURCES

Identify other resources that are needed to support the JOurneY in living better with the diagnosis: Where will I find additional support?

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CAFE FOUNDATIONS

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Autumn/Winter 2023

THE HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE STORY

Gather.Celebrate.Connect.

1997 FIRST MEMORY CAFE OPENS IN THE NETHERLANDS 2000 UK OPENS FIRST MEMORY CAFE 2008 FIRST US MEMORY CAFE OPENS IN SANTA FE, NM FEB 2020 HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE GATHERS IN PERSON APRIL 2020 CAFE PIVOTS TO ONLINE GATHERINGS & IN HOME CREATIVITY KITS 2022 ONLINE GATHERINGS AND KIT DELIVERIES CONTINUE 2023 CAFE CONTINUES KIT DELIVERIES SEASONALLY & FOCUSES ON SHARING RESOURCES TO SUPPORT LIVING BETTER WITH DEMENTIA VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

September 2019 Planning for the Hummingbird Memory Cafe begins with gatherings of various community members who have a personal and/or professional connection to dementia. Community members recognize that those of us living with dementia and our carers could benefit from the social connection that is provided at a memory cafe. No memory cafes are operating in Northwest New Mexico at this time. Logistics of the café are determined.

January 2020 Volunteers attend training with Dr. Jytte Lokvig, the founder of memory cafes in the United States, to discuss appropriate communication when interacting with someone with dementia, as well as examples of creative engagement.

February 2020 The Hummingbird Memory Café opens to in-person gatherings at the Bonnie Dallas Senior Center Annex in Farmington, New Mexico.

Spring 2020-Present COVID-19 responses include transitioning to online cafes and home delivery of creativity kits.

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A MEMORY CAFE IS

a place to relax, have fun, and meet others an opportunity for carers to renew their relationship with the person in their life who has dementia a unique experience apart from the normal routines unique in character, based on the interests and style of the community where it is located and whom the cafe serves welcoming and accessible for all free of charge a time to leave dementia at the door and just enjoy ourselves coordinated by community advocates and/or volunteers with experience or training in working with individuals with cognitive changes a potential first step toward a dementia-friendly community The café is not a workshop, seminar, or lecture on dementia.

The café is not a respite program.

The café is not just another party or happy hour.

The café is not a day care program.

VALUES OF THE CAFE

Inclusive. Venues and activities are accessible to all regardless of abilities. There is no cost to those who attend. Organization of the café addresses the needs of the participants and our community.

Creativity. A variety of activities are provided to allow participants to express themselves and communicate what words can't.

Fellowship. Participants are able to make connections with others in similar situations.

Dignity. The cafe is free of the stigma associated with dementia.

Normalcy. Individuals with dementia and their carers come together and enjoy themselves in a purely social gathering.

Loving Kindness. The volunteers of the cafe empathize with our participants and provide genuine care and commitment to engaging with them.

VISION OF THE CAFE

Multiple cafes will be established catering to the needs of the individual participants and their carers. Memory cafes will support the growth of our community as an inclusive living space, including the designation as dementia friendly.

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Autumn/Winter 2023

elements of a cafe gathering

the arts, laughter and social connection

Each cafe event is different from the next cafe depending on who is attending the cafe and what we are sharing together. We share stories and reflect on common themes while interjecting the arts and socialization into our conversations. Cafe participants share ideas about what they would like to see at cafes, and events are updated accordingly to engage around these interests. We focus on the process of creating together and stress less concern about final products.

Due to 2020 COVID-19 gathering restrictions, we adapted our events to the virtual format. We were able to maintain (and even expand) our social connections while creating together in the digital world. Online gatherings continued until December 2022.

Nicolette McDermott-Ketchum Hummingbird Memory Cafe Autumn/Winter 2023

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WHY IS THE CAFE LOGO A HUMMINGBIRD?

The hummingbird is associated with positivity throughout multiple cultures and traditions. We can learn so much from the wisdom of hummingbirds.

LOOK FOR BEAUTY IN LIFE Hummingbirds look for flowers that are brightly colored as a source of nutrition.

BE FLEXIBLE Hummingbirds are able to fly in all directions and change directions as needed very quickly. They float free of time and symbolize the power of the spirit to rise above difficulties and challenges.

APPRECIATE LIFE'S WONDERS Hummingbirds are known for getting up close to new things.

While they are usually looking to make sure they are safe and if there is a food source, we can adapt the spirit of being curious about new things as well.

SMALL THINGS CAN BRING JOY & HAPPINESS Hummingbirds drink nectar from flowers. Where can we find the sweetness in our lives?

EXPECT LOVE & JOY Hummingbirds look for brightly colored flowers expecting that they will find sweet nectar.

RESOURCES: mybackyardlife.com/#growMeSearch=hummingbirds https://worldbirds.com/hummingbird-symbolism-meaning/ What symbol represents strength and positivity in your life?

hummingbird photos

by John Lemmer, Jr. MD 8 | THE HUMMINGBIRD HERALD

Autumn/Winter 2023

Advocacy and Activism

Advocacy and activism are essential tools for fostering positive societal change, promoting social justice, and ensuring that all of our voices are heard and acted upon.

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Cafe Creativity: The HeART of Living Better with Dementia

Engage With Others | 13 Let’s Create Together | 16 Cafe Conundrum | 24 Mandala Meditation | 26 12 | THE HUMMINGBIRD HERALD

Autumn/Winter 2023

ENGAGE WITH OTHERS

Converse with others about what the seasons and change mean to you.

Create a collage about the seasons or change.

Sing your favorite songs about the seasons or change.

Enjoy your favorite beverage and a snack in a setting that allows you to experience the joy of the seasons.

Engage in movement that is safe and enjoyable for you.

Create a creativity kit by adapting the suggestions included in this month's cafe magazine to the interests and abilities of the user(s).

Sample the Cafe’s Seasonal Playlists on Spotify Spring https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7uiih5Q5HxXyeo3lkd7V4I Summer https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3btsazipw4qR3ILLIJr5sK Autumn https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5pXGUVNtco0Tb8KZ21jCPZ Winter Wonderland https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Rjs4mxpN80ZJelpOfvm9m *Log in may be required.

LIKE & SUBSCRIBE TO THE CAFE CHANNEL Visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTJhje09d_Rx9ILTSLQvmhQ/ to explore original cafe videos as well as music and educational videos about living better with dementia and finding joy in our JOurneYs.

Capture the Winter experience through this original song based on an original poem collectively written with cafe participants and Colorado musician, Jordan Yewey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uljCLPuQl2M Autumn/Winter 2023

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BUILD YOUR OWN

CREATIVITY KIT

USING SUPPLIES AROUND YOUR HOME Looking for a quick creative idea, but lacking “official” art supplies?

Enjoy these suggestions for creating from supplies you most likely have in your home right now.

Basic Supplies Painting Tools Glue Q-tips Coffee filters Sponges Cloth scraps (cut into shapes if you like) Magazines Toothbrushes Writing and drawing supplies Leaves Tissue paper Yarn Apples or potatoes Painting Surfaces Crumples paper towels Wood Paper Cardboard Paper bag Sources of Paint A mixture of flour, water, and food coloring Food coloring mixed with water Ketchup, mustard, and other condiments with vibrant colors Used coffee grounds can be mixed with water or white glue Colorful spices can be mixed with water or glue Colored yogurt can be used for finger painting A mixture of cornstarch, water, and food coloring Watercolor paint can be made by placing the tip of a washable marker in water.

Always test a small area first when using unconventional materials as paint to ensure they work as expected and won't damage the surface you're painting on. Additionally, be mindful of the safety and toxicity of the materials to the artists using the materials.

How to Use painting with supplies on various materials collage with magazines and scrap cloth wreath with scrap cloth doodling drawing circles No Special Supplies Needed Photography with cell phone Singing Storytelling Dancing or moving in ways you like and can engage safely 14 | THE HUMMINGBIRD HERALD

Autumn/Winter 2023

BUILD YOUR OWN

CREATIVITY KIT

USING SUPPLIES AROUND YOUR HOME

Explore the stories & pictures of a variety of reading materials. Magazine pages can be used for collaging or creating puzzles. Ask friends and family for magazines they are finished reading. Check out local discount stores for inexpensive magazines as well.

Include something that reminds you to take time to relax such as a decorative napkin or a special cup. Local discount stores have inexpensive items like napkins and other household items that may provide inspiration for creating special moments in your home.

Enhance the dementia JOurneY within the comfort of your own home and throughout your community by including a variety of resources in your personalized creativity kit.

For a wealth of transformative ideas, explore the resource list located on pages 28-29 of this magazine. This curated compilation encompasses invaluable contact information, connecting you with organizations and initiatives dedicated to reimagining dementia and fostering innovative approaches while empowering people living with dementia and their carers.

Board and card games can play a significant role in enhancing the lives of individuals with dementia. Consider cognitive abilities, interests, and preferences when selecting games and adapt or modify how the game is played to suit the specific needs and abilities of the players.

Consider games with clear rules, simple instructions, and manageable time frames.

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Let's Create Together

How can we create across generations?

SING, DANC E

PLAY

READ

MEDITATE PRAY ENJOY QUIET TIME

EXPLORE NATURE TRY SOMETHING NEW

COLOR, DRAW, PAINT, WRITE

EXERCISE SPEND TIME WITH PETS

SHARE STORIES

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Collective Cafe Creativity The hallmark of the Hummingbird Memory Cafe has always been to create beautiful things together. Whether we were creating group collages in person or writing original poems online, the focus was always on the process of engaging positively together versus the final product, although we did collectively create beautiful pictures and words. We also shared our own stories and created new ones.

Creating together promotes innovation, fosters learning and personal growth, strengthens our relationships, and allows us to address the complex challenges we often face with cognitive changes more effectively. We harness the power of collective intelligence and diverse perspectives, driving positive outcomes in our individual and collective lives.

The cafe created over 50+ original poems and prose, as well as other forms of art over the course of almost 3 years.

This edition of the Hummingbird Herald highlights our collectively created poems about the seasons with an invitation to create your own poem about the seasons or a change/transition in your life.

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EARTH’S PALETTE Hummingbird Memory Cafe Giant eye of God—sun rising The music of spring Birdsongs The morning hello of Robin Red Breast Chirping baby chicks and ducks The smell of hyacinths, daffodils and lilacs Dark, dark soil Seeds sprouting and taking root Strawberry rows as far as the eye could see The tree outside my window Saw my first hummingbird yesterday I love the colors of monarchs Remember the red, black and yellow snake, But they were okay Rolling in the dirt The grass is cool to my skin Fingers became sore and wet cotton was hard to pull Weeds around the cotton Enjoyed picking strawberries and making strawberry desserts Giant eye of God—sun setting

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Autumn/Winter 2023

Spring

collectively written by The Hummingbird Memory Cafe Spring is a time of renewal.

A time to start again.

Maybe even start over.

Spring is sunshine, rainbows & lollipops.

Butterflies and change.

Spring is a time to come out in the fresh air and just have fun.

Spring is a time when other flowers grow in spite of wild rose thorns all around them.

Spring is a time for daffy-dils and two-lips to bud and bloom.

Spring is a time to take a new full breath.

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FESTIVAL OF COLOR:

BEAUTY OF FALL I love fall.

Harvesting pumpkins and corn.

Apple scent.

Oven baking.

Window sill ripening.

No spring or summer can match the beauty of one fall day's face.

All different colors.

Fall festival.

Garden of eating.

Mums indoors and outdoors.

There's colors all around and suddenly they're gone.

Prelude to Thanksgiving and then it's winter.

Every day should be thanks giving.

HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE

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HUMMINGBIRD MEMORY CAFE PRESENTS

Autumn Begins Summer ends.

Autumn begins.

Leaves start to fall.

And it is loved by all.

Cool breeze is blowing.

Green chile is growing.

Colors are changing.

Pies are baking.

Neighbors are grilling.

Nights are chilling.

Mosquitoes aren’t flying.

The grass is dying.

Summer comes to a close.

We smell our last rose.

Autumn ends.

Winter begins.

This poem was collectively written at the Hummingbird Memory Cafe and received the distinguished honor of being selected as the winner of the 2021 poetry contest sponsored by the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department's Annual Conference on Aging.

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Winter Hummingbird Memory Cafe

Wonders of nature Snow is falling Rivers frozen over Friends are calling Nose and cheeks Rosy and sweet Santa will be here In only one week Up at the North Pole Elves are busy workin' I'm eating cookie dough And Grandma's a'cookin' Wrapped up in a blanket Warm by the fire Great holiday tunes Sung by a choir Diamond-like icicles Drip and shine Presents wrapped Just in time Time for holiday cheer Family and friends are near Time to reflect Time to unwind Santa is watchin' So let's all be kind 22 | THE HUMMINGBIRD HERALD

Autumn/Winter 2023

WRITE YOUR OWN

SEASONAL POEM What BEAUTY have you seen as we transition between the seasons of the earth or of our personal lives?

While there are no rules about writing poems, consider the following format if you need a starting point for creating your own poem.

The Hummingbird Memory Cafe presents

OUR PROCESS OF WRITING POETRY Our poems have been created collaboratively so that all cafe voices may be heard.

Consider a theme.

Our cafe utilized a monthly theme as a springboard for poem ideas.

Brainstorm words and ideas related to the theme.

There is no right or wrong in this process. What words or ideas come to mind when you consider this theme? What sensory words can you associate with your ideas--tastes, smells, sounds, touches, sights?

Consider relationships between suggested words and ideas.

How are individual words and ideas related to each other? Are they similar or opposite, for example?

Arrange words and ideas.

The arrangement of your poem will depend on how you would like words and ideas to flow, for example, will your poem rhyme or not? Will your poem be a listing of the words or ideas that were shared? Will your poem be arranged into stanzas?

Title your poem if you like.

Again, no right or wrong. What title would capture the spirit of your poem?

Read your poem.

One person may choose to read the poem and/or the poem can be read aloud together. Celebrate the beauty of your creation!

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CAFE CONUNDRUM: OR

?

Answer key on Page 25.

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Autumn/Winter 2023

CAFE CONUNDRUM: ?

OR

Winter

Autumn

Winter

Winter

Autumn

Autumn

Autumn

Winter

Autumn/Winter 2023

Autumn

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Mandala Meditation Mandalas can provide a moment of calm and focus as we color the concentric shapes of the design. Coloring mandalas can be a form of meditation and promote stress relief.

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Autumn/Winter 2023

Resources

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"Boosters for Joy: A Guide on Ways to Connect"

by AARP https://bit.ly/3QA1Zvl Bravo Zulu https://deerprogram.org/bravo-zulu/ "Children's Reading List: Books About Dementia"

by Hummingbird Memory Cafe https://bit.ly/47emUdb "Cooking Our Way: A Cookbook by and for People Living with Dementia" by Dementia Action Alliance https://bit.ly/3sdqJ3k Dementia Map https://www.dementiamap.com/ Dementia Possibilities https://bit.ly/3Qhcl27 Dementia Self-Management Guidebook https://deerprogram.org/dementia-self-management/ Generations United https://www.gu.org/ Google Arts and Culture https://artsandculture.google.com/ Hummingbird Memory Cafe https://linktr.ee/hummingbirdmemorycafe International Association for Indigenous Aging https://iasquared.org/ Museum of Modern Art, NYC Access Programs https://www.moma.org/calendar/groups/39

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Autumn/Winter 2023

National Indian Council on Aging https://www.nicoa.org/ “Navigating the Dementia Journey” https://bit.ly/3slb9CP "Parent's Guide: Helping Children and Teens Understand Alzheimer's Disease"

by Alzheimer's Association https://bit.ly/46W7yKy "Pathways to Well-Being with Dementia" Manual

by Dementia Action Alliance https://daanow.org/pathways-to-well-being-with-dementia/ Reimagining Dementia: A Creative Coalition for Justice https://www.reimaginingdementia.com/ "The Alzheimer’s Creativity Project 2"

by Jytte Lokvig Time Slips https://www.timeslips.org/ "Valuing the advocacy of people with dementia: moving dementia out of the shadows"

by Dementia Alliance International https://bit.ly/46PD1hc

OTHER RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL FOR YOUR JOURNEY _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ Autumn/Winter 2023

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The Hummingbird Memory Cafe has been coordinated by a group of community volunteers. This leadership approach has allowed the cafe to maintain their mission, values and vision without compromise. The cafe’s focus has pivoted from in-person and virtual gatherings to one of a clearinghouse of resources created by both our cafe family as well as other individuals and organizations reimagining a world that allows all of us to not just survive, but thrive and find joy in all of our JOurneYs. We are grateful to individuals and organizations who have engaged at the cafe gatherings and continue to stay in touch in person and via social media, email and phone calls. We are also grateful to those individuals, businesses and organizations who have made in-kind donations and shared their knowledge and skills to support the activities of the café.

Thank you to everyone involved with the cafe family.

Everyone who engages with the cafe brings something special-your ideas, your sense of humor, your stories and more. We are all so lucky to have each other, especially as the world around us is going through so many changes. If you are interested in learning more about the cafe, please contact us.