News

Express Yourself!

December 29th, 2015

How does Alzheimer’s affect your life? Can you put it into words or onto a canvas? Can you capture it with a photograph? January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month across Canada, and Points West Living would love to be able share your poetry, paintings, songs, sculpture – your expression – of dementia’s impact. 

“During the month of January, we are looking for individuals to submit their works of expression to help bring awareness to Alzheimer’s disease,” says Stephanie Miller, PWL’s lead on Memory Care. “Chances are you know someone living with Alzheimer’s. It may even be you.”

Beauty in the struggle…

Stephanie says she’s looking for artistic expression of the impact of dementia, “as a beautiful way to express personal stories of great memories, struggles, and awareness of how the minds of individuals with Alzheimer’s have changed.”

If you would like to participate, bring/send your work, along with your name, address and a brief description, to your nearest Points West Living community, or to the PWL head office in Edmonton.

Details:
  • Who: Individuals with Alzheimer’s and/or Dementia, Family, Friends & Care Partners.
  • What: Poetry, paintings, sculptures, song, drawings, mosaic, photography, etc.
  • Where: The displays will be available for viewing in the lobby of all the PWL communities.
  • When: Please submit Expressions of Art, by January 15 (extended to January 31!), to your nearest Points West Living community, or care of Stephanie Miller, at the PWL Head Office In Edmonton: #137 10309 107 Street • Edmonton, AB • T5J 1K3.
  • Contact: Please include Full Name, Address, email and Description with each piece submitted.

Thank you for helping bring awareness and sharing your stories!

Photo: Stephanie Miller has offered this unnamed painting as an example of her own ‘Express Yourself’. Her description could be used as a template for other submissions:

It was overwhelming at times…

“This piece signifies my experience with my Aunt Nancy who has Alzheimer’s. My family and I had the pleasure to take several day trips around Arizona with Nancy. She struggled trying to share her thoughts of what was going on, and with my boys running around and being loud, it was overwhelming at times for her. I call this painting _____ and it represents my personal struggles of trying to understand what Nancy was trying to tell me she was experiencing.”