“Lessons with Carly” started in June. Twice a week for about an hour each session Carly Kurth appears virtually to engage with residents in Capitol Lakes’ Memory Care unit. Activities range from nature photography slide shows to music and memory to ribbon stick exercises to meditation and chair yoga. Sometimes current events and history lessons are thrown in for good measure.
“The residents really look forward to our ‘Lessons with Carly’ especially given these unusual circumstances,” recounts Patti Bell, Capitol Lakes Memory Support Activities Specialist. “With restrictions on visitors, other programs we would normally host have been cancelled. While I continue to engage with residents every day, it’s been great for them to see a fresh face and listen to someone new.”
“Lessons with Carly” was made possible through a partnership with the UW-Madison School of Nursing put in motion by Capitol Lakes Foundation’s Board Director, Dr. Diane Farsetta. Carly is studying to become a Doctor of Nursing with a focus on geriatric primary care. Her visits are part of a summer course she’s taking called “Community Supports for People with Dementia,” taught by geriatric nurse practitioner Dr. Sarah Endicott.
According to Lenee Kruse, Capitol Lakes Foundation Director, “the Capitol Lakes Foundation is proud to foster partnerships that both benefit our residents while helping train future leaders in geriatric health care. It’s a win-win situation and the benefits are even more pronounced during these difficult days. We are sincerely grateful to our generous supporters who make this work possible. Together, we truly are enhancing the living experience.”