Saturday, March 24, 2018

Tanya Towers and PUZZLE TIME

I took two Kid Caregiver members to Tanya Towers.  The facility has residents who have cerebral palsy and Alzheimer's disease. Because of modern medicine, people with cerebral palsy live longer, and that means they can develop dementia!  We bought several puzzles that were donated by the springbok Puzzles Company to the facility for PUZZLE TIME. It is an hour filled with puzzle-solving and companionship!  Next month, we will bring some Girl Scouts to the facility for PUZZLE TIME.  Everyone is looking forward to it!  We all know that puzzle-solving stimulates the brain, especially the visual cortex area. The research shows that it improves mood and gives the person a feeling of accomplishment when they complete it.  Don't we all feel good when we finish something!

Tips

1. If someone has trouble moving their hands, show the person the puzzle piece and ask them where to put it. (People living with cerebral palsy may have poor muscle coordination. BUT that doesn't mean they cannot solve a puzzle!)

2. Have the person point with their finger or a pencil where the puzzle piece should be placed.

3. Talk about the theme of the puzzle you are solving. REMEMBER TO ENJOY THE JOURNEY of PUZZLE-SOLVING.  There is NO RUSH to complete it!  Spending time together is the MOST important part of it!  (I enjoyed talking to "Jenna" about the different birds on the puzzle box.  We both agree that the red cardinals are lovely, followed by the blue jays.

4.  Celebrate when the puzzle is solved!  A big thumbs up, a hug, a high five or any other sign of joy is great after the puzzle is complete.





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