Barb's Daily Dose

Scrimshaw and a Vietnam Vet

Thanks for Your Service

"The only real guarantee in life is change. I believe in placing my  confidence and hope in the uncertainty of change." – Jim Stevens 

As a child, Jim Stevens' grandmother taught him how to draw and paint.  As an adult, Stevens studied with American sculptor Ed Dwight and Russian stone and gem carver Vasily Konovalenko.  But his growing  reputation as an artist was about to end.

Need Air? Open a Window Into the Alzheimer's Soul

Our Featured Guest Writer Today is:  Paula Spencer, Senior Editor at caring.com

Stories of how people with Alzheimer's spark to creative activities involving art, music, and literature arts activities make life less stressful for dementia caregivers, which is why I can't revisit this topic enough.

Some Examples:

• When my son played guitar for a group of residents in the dementia wing of a nursing home where his grandpa lived for rehab, one woman prone to violence and wandering restlessly planted herself in front of him to happily dance and dance.

• A friend recently told me her mother, who has advanced Alzheimer's, mostly sits locked into her own silent world, until her daughter plays church hymns on the piano. Then Mom sings every word, clear as a bell.

Helping Hospitalized Veterans

Here's an inspirational video from a hospitalized veteran who is using crafting to help him recover from his injuries.  Recovering "eye-hand" coordination is one of the big challenges after a brain injury and crafting is one therapy that works.

To learn more visit:  HHV.org

How to Help an Older Adult Create a Lasting Legacy

Our Featured Guest Today Is:  Connie Matthiessen, Senior Editor at Caring.com

Practical Projects -- and Treasured Memories -- to Celebrate Accomplishments

A Lasting Legacy for Friends and Family

To help older adults recognize and understand their legacy, consider a family legacy project. A legacy project will help them celebrate their lives and memories -- and allow family and friends to share in the experience.

Even a frail or mentally impaired adults can participate on some level and will likely appreciate the result, whether it's a poster, a family recipe book, or a celebration in the park. A legacy project will also give everyone a memento of their lives that will live on after they're gone.

How Crafting Can Help You Feel Better

Check out this awesome video (click on the second video to view) on from Live Well HD Network / Home with Lisa Quinn, on how "Crafting Can Improve Your Health".

Our own Nurse Barb is one of the "shining stars"!!!

Nana Slippers

Over the holidays I learned how to make these fun and warm “Nana Slippers”.  This is what everyone in the family calls the hand knit warm and soft slippers that my mother, who everyone calls Nana, cranks out all through the year.

I sat down with her over a few days and re-learned how to cast onto the double sided needles, increase purl wise and then sew them together.  It was a wonderful experience for both of us. You see, at this stage, my mom wants to pass on some more of her wisdom She's spent my lifetime passing along lots of wisdom about Italian recipes, how to size up people in an instant, as well as, all the other mom-related knowledge.

Connecting and Crafting: Children with Autism Part 3

Meet Barb Dehn and Kathy Peterson, The Craft Practitioners

Children with Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have many challenges. See Part 1 for an overview of some that might be helped with crafting. See Part 2 for crafting ideas for improving eye-hand coordination and working with various senses. 

Some of the Other Challenges These Children Encounter Are:

Improving Verbal Communication

Children who are pre-verbal have always been immersed in crafting, from finger painting to gluing objects on paper. Many people are not particularly verbal while crafting, as their hands and minds are occupied creating. In these scenarios, children who are withdrawn and still developing their ability to communicate verbally are still able to be part of a larger group as they develop more and more communication skills both one on one and in groups. Children will be listening to instructions, looking at examples of what the finished work might look like, and talking when they’re ready about the process or their completed work.

My Interview on Diva Craft Radio

Click here to listen to my interview on Diva Craft Radio.

Connecting and Crafting: Children With Autism Part 2

Children with Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have many challenges.  See Part 1 for additional information.

Some of the other challenges these children encounter are:

Developing Eye Hand Coordination & Fine Motor Skills

From finger painting and crayons to using pencils and brushes, painting and drawing develops fine motor skills and the ability to express thoughts, feelings and perceptions without words. Scissor skills, gluing, beading, stamping and building with popsicle sticks are all activities that help children of all ages work on improving their eye hand coordination

Craft Idea: Creating a Collage

This is an activity that can be adapted for anyone regardless of their verbal or social interactions and can be done individually or within a group. Creating a collage is not only an expression of what the person is thinking, but also involves multiple different skills, from tearing photos out of a magazine, to using scissor skills to cut them out, or for other children, choosing photos that have been pre-cut for them. With a collage, any object can be covered completely or partially, and words as well as images can be used.

Autism: Connect With Your Child Through Crafts

1 of a 3 Part Series

www.CraftForHealth

Children with autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have challenges that most people can’t begin to comprehend. Families learn to adapt to their child’s unique way of communicating with others while at the same time searching for ways to help them learn how to interact with the wider world.

It seems that every month, we learn more about the spectrum of various manifestations of autism.  Just as no 2 snowflakes are alike, the same is true of all individuals, whether they have autism or they don’t, and yet, there are some aspects of life with a child with autism that are similar. As parents look for activities that foster their child’s cognitive, social and emotional development, crafting can be a way for children to connect with their families, their peers and their own inner voice while helping them express their innate creativity.