By Marianne Sciucco, New York, USA
An Invitation
April is National Poetry Month
Please join us for a virtual celebration of poetry for the dementia journey
on Tuesday, April 18th at 2 pm EST on Zoom.
A community of poets who have all written poetry on their caregiver
journeys will gather to share their poems and stories.
We will find solace in shared stories, as well as comfort and grace.
The caregiving journey can be fraught with loneliness, frustration, despair, and joy.
Moments of great clarity and meaning can arise.
We can both lose and find ourselves in the experience.
Storytelling through poetry lightens burdens
For many caregivers, poetry can be a means of expression,
of sharing their experience, opening hearts to joy, or drowning sorrows.
Finding the right words to tell our stories can ease our journey.
Reading the words of others can inspire us, give us strength,
and let us know we are not alone.
This event is free, although donations to support the
work of AlzAuthors are welcome. Donate here.
All participants will receive a copy of our guide to
Poetry for the Dementia Journey,
featuring the work of 17 of our authors.
Additional Resources
Listen to Patrick McTaggart read from his book “Our Dementia Journey”
Listen to Kate Marshall Flaherty’s “Far Away” from the anthology “Storms of the Inland Sea”
“The spark will ignite: how poetry helps engage people with dementia”
Please note: We understand that busy caregivers may not have the option to participate in this program due to time constraints, however we encourage you to attend for as many minutes as you can, and expect participants to pop in and out as time allows. The event will be recorded, so be sure to reserve your seat so you’ll receive the replay and the free Poetry for the Dementia Journey guide we are offering all participants before they are made available to the public.
Please copy and share this invitation with all your caregiver connections, including in-person and online support groups, Facebook groups, your website, blog, newsletter, social media, care home, home care agency, etc.