PHOTO BY J CALDWELL FOR NASHER MUSEUM OF ART AT DUKE UNIVERSITY
in their words
Jessica Ruhle (right) leads a discussion with visitors during a Reflections tour.
Personal Reflections BY JESSICA RUH LE
F
ROM A YOUNG AGE, I KNEW my grandparents loved the arts. I remember attending theater and orchestra performances with them in our small Florida town. I remember my grandfather enrolling in a world art and architecture course at the local community college. I remember my grandmother leading my fifth-grade class visit to the art museum as a docent. And I remember when my grandfather stopped remembering. When my grandfather began showing signs of dementia, my grandmother took on the role of primary care partner. More and more, they felt they could not enjoy experiences they enjoyed together for 14
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durhammag.com
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december/january 2018
Jessica Ruhle is director of education and public programs at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. She may be reached at jessica.ruhle@duke.edu.
decades. The orchestras, theaters, dance halls and art museums that brought them so much joy did not feel welcoming at a time when they needed to feel close to each other and also connect with the outside world. This experience is by no means limited to my family. The dementia statistics are staggering. More than five million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease. That number will triple by the year 2050. At the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Reflections is a rare program for visitors with Alzheimer’s and their care partners. It’s not a typical gallery tour. Visitors connect with one another and have meaningful conversations because of the art they experience.