OAGE_2015
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The document describes Bird Tales, a multisensory program that uses nature, specifically birds, to promote well-being for people living with dementia. The program has three components: bringing joy through birds, setting up bird feeders and baths, and landscaping with native plants. It discusses how nature improves quality of life and provides a sense of normalcy for those with dementia. The weekly program uses bird models, cards, and activities, and has resulted in reduced agitation and positive interactions for residents and volunteers. It concludes by suggesting expanding the program model.
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OAGE_2015
- 1. Bird Tales and the Flock: Expanding Horizons Jasmin Grindon, BA, Miami University Jennifer Dibert, MGS, Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University
- 2. ❑ Multisensory program for people living with dementia ❑ Uses nature as a medium to promote well-being, sense of self, and self-expression ❑ Three Components ➢ To bring the joy and love of birds to residents living with dementia ➢ Setting up bird feeding and watering stations ➢ Re-landscaping grounds with native plants to attract birds and butterflies. Bird Tales© Photo Credit: Bob Sacha
- 3. ❑ Why nature? ➢ Important contributor to the quality of life and well-being ➢ The experience of being in nature was shown to be important for a sense of normalcy ➢ Components in the natural environment are described as having restorative and healing powers ➢ Nature heals Bird Tales© Photo Credit: Tyler Edmondson
- 4. ❑ Why sensory? ➢ Eliminates complex reasoning ➢ Communication ➢ Reductions in agitation and depression, greater diversity of activity, improvement in mood, positive staff interaction, and enhanced well-being Bird Tales© Photo Credit: Bob Sacha "As we become multi-sensory, we move beyond the limitations of the five senses and we now are evolving to a different mechanism in the exploration of physical reality.“ – Gary Zukav
- 5. ❑ Weekly, 1 hour ❑ Intergenerational, 2:1 ratio in group setting ❑ Bird models ❑ Bird cards ❑ Supplemental material ❑ Planned weekly activity Program Format Photo Credit: Bob Sacha
- 8. ❑ “Very positive sensory project. The participants loved to pet the soft birds and listen to their song.” ❑ “I enjoyed the program tonight. I could tell the residents really enjoyed it too - I can't remember ever seeing them so happy!” ❑ “One resident said that she really enjoyed the activity and learned a lot about birds today. I enjoyed the interaction by the residents directed by us. It seemed that they gained confidence in sharing.” Qualitative Quotes Photo Credit: Jenn Dibert
- 9. Bird Tales© is a wonderful program that offers multiple opportunities to connect PWD to the environment and others around them. ❑ Why stop here? ➢ Eliminating the “for people with dementia” clause ➢ Expand conceptualization of the program ➢ Monthly meetings, gardening, planning, teaching, feeder maintenance Sky's the Limit Photo Credit: John Williams
- 10. Thank You!! Jasmin Grindon, grindojm@MiamiOH.edu Jennifer “Jenn” Dibert, dibertjl@MiamiOH.edu
Editor's Notes
- **Play in background** - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6_LYn4_JA4 1 minute Hi, my name is Jennifer Dibert and I am a second year gero student at Miami University and hopeful May graduate! Just a little background on me – I learned about BT last March at ASA and it’s quite literally been my life ever since. As soon as I got back, I bought some birds and worked on the program in a 1-1 capacity over my summer internship. From this experience, I realized that I had a lot of implementation questions, which led me to drafting my concept paper for my thesis. The rest is kind of history – I started implementing and collecting data in October as soon as I passed my defense and today, I continue working with the program at multiple sites although my research project is over. *Jasmin
- 30 seconds BT is a multisensory program for PWD – it essentially uses birds and nature as a medium to promote well-being, sense of self, and self-expression There are three main goals, according to the program guide – bring joy and love of birds to PWD THROUGH set up feeding and watering stations, and re-landscaping groups to attract birds.
- 2 minutes So why nature? Why birds? It’s so simple really.. Think of how you feel when there is ten feet of snow outside. Now how about sunny and 75. You feel better when it’s nice outside and the return of the birds usually symbolize this. Although simplistic, there is a growing body of research that supports this. It all started in the 19th century when Florence Nightingale decided, which taking care of wounded soldiers during the Crimean War, that fresh air and nature explained why those in tents healed quicker than those in the infirmary. Dementia specific, there is less, but researchers have started to look at this as a potential for intervention. Studies have demonstrated the environment is an important contributor to the quality of life and well-being of people with dementia (Kolanowski & Whall, 2000). Environmental factors include the physical, social, psychological, and emotional environment, as well as the experience of nature. In a study of people with dementia, the experience of being in nature was shown to be important for many reasons, including well-being and a sense of normalcy (Duggan, Blackman, Martyr, & Van Schaik, 2008). Nature is an important part of our physical world, and although we react to nature in different ways, human beings have a connection to all natural things (Wilson, 1984). Many components in the natural environment are described as having restorative and healing powers (Kaplan, 1995, 2001).
- 1 minute Why sensory? Another really simple answer – it eliminates complex reasoning, allows people to explore, understand what is in front of them using different senses. If they can’t hear, they can see – if they can’t see, they can touch. If they can’t touch, they can smell. Research, since about the 90’s, has focused on using multisensory activities for PWD. Think about your experiences in nursing homes in “memory units” – in my experience people are usually completely under stimulated or over stimulated. Multisensory allows programs to balance these extremes to give residents control of what excites them the most.
- 2 minutes 30 seconds In a nutshell, BT is the intersection of the two – birds and multisensory stimulation. In this project, and as a recommendation anyone implementing should follow this structure, we met once a week for approximately an hour. To allow relationships to grow, residents worked with volunteers from the local university and on good days (trust me, there were bad ones) volunteers worked with 2 residents. Prior to the session all volunteers receive the lesson via email and before we start that day, we have a “huddle” where I address any questions, provide tips, advice, etc. Next we pick up volunteers, make name badges, and pass out bird models. During the session, we use bird models (show) and bird cards (show). Sometimes supplemental material, such as addition photos, sensory items, additional information for volunteers to use, etc. At the end of the session (~15 minutes) there is a weekly activity (show). The activity usually focuses on one aspect of birds, so for example – personalities, markings, feet, birds of prey, hummingbirds, etc. The learning component is really important, as the same birds are used every week. In lieu of activities, we sometimes make things, such as feeders or crafts (nest materials hangers). At the end residents and volunteers complete feedback forms and at the end of the 11 weeks, volunteers completed program evals. So, after 11 weeks and 13 sessions, what did my data suggest? *Explain 13/11*
- 30 seconds As far as outputs go, the residents genuinely appeared to enjoy the program. This chart is the result of resident feedback over the 11 weeks – all responses were averaged and the scale was 1-3. The following slides will show that this finding was supported by field notes, volunteer evaluations, and program evaluations
- 30 seconds Volunteers seemed to agree that residents enjoyed the program – this is on a scale of 1-5 and if you’re interested in specific wording of the questions, I have them here.
- 1 minute For both the weekly feedback and program evaluation, volunteers had positive responses about resident responses to the program. I’d like to share a few with you here – One volunteer stated that … Another expressed that … The last one expresses that the residents enjoyed the activity and learned a lot – this volunteer also thought that residents interacted well this group session and seemed to gain confidence in sharing as the session progressed. *Another response, which I didn’t anticipate as much, was the volunteer reaction. Jasmin is going to share her reflection with you all, after spending quite a bit of time working with the program:
- 1 minute As is, Bird Tales© is a wonderful program that offers multiple opportunities to connect PWD to the environment and others around them (Griffin & Elkins, 2013). Why stop here? Bird Tales© has so much to offer to all residents living in long-term care settings – should dementia be a prerequisite? One resident who was staying at the facility for rehabilitation came to every session during her stay because she simply loved birds and wanted to learn more about them. She taught us a lot about birds when she was present and really contributed to resident interaction. Although this particular resident had no qualms about attending a program geared for PWD, others might. Eliminating the “for people with dementia” clause to the program would likely foster more engagement from the general population. The program conceptualization could easily be expanded in multiple ways to promote engagement among residents who aren’t living with dementia. For example, monthly meetings could be held for residents to plan for and maintain green spaces, a gardening component could be added for residents, and residents could even help in planning or teaching activity lessons, especially in a Continuing Care Retirement Community. During this project, one particular resident filled up all of the feeders and alerted me when we were low on certain seeds – he did not have dementia, but needed something to do. Filling up the feeders provided him with a sense of purpose and attending the weekly sessions gave him a chance to communicate with others and talk about one of his favorite subjects: the beauty of nature. At the close of this project, it is clear that this new innovative program can and should be successful, but it’s also clear that is has potential to be so much more than a program for PWD. The sky is really the limit.