Life Steps Foundation Santa Maria Wisdom Center is a Community Based Adult Services (CBAS) day program that provides a variety of health and social services, as well as planned therapeutic & rehabilitative activities. The development of our Alzheimer's Program occurred as a response to the need for specialized programming for participants diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

We have found that a generalized social & recreational activities program does not appropriately address the needs of these participants, especially as they progress through the middle stage of the disease. This realization led us to perform extensive research into the most effective recreational therapies being used to service this population. Our investigation pointed to the importance of both music and art. We are proud to announce that LSF SMWC staff have been trained in two groundbreaking programs incorporating these two elements.

MUSIC & MEMORY

May of 2015 saw LSF Santa Maria Wisdom Center achieve the distinction of a Music and Memory Certified Facility. Grounded in extensive neuroscience research about how our brains respond to music, tested and proven in Music & Memory Certified Facilities, this personalized music system has helped thousands of residents, clients, patients, and the staff who care for them.

Researchers sum up the benefits this way:

-Personalized music provides a means of communication and self-expression when verbal language abilities are diminished.
-Musical favorites replace confusing environmental stimuli with something interpretable and distract from boredom or distress with a soothing, familiar experience.
- Individuals are more cooperative, attentive, and willing to accept care: musical favorites decrease agitation and provide a distraction from fear and anxiety.

Here's why: Musical memory is profoundly linked to emotions. These memories are stored deep in the brain. While Alzheimer's damages the ability to recall facts and details, it does not destroy these lasting connections between a favorite song and memory of an important life event, no matter how long ago.

When individuals suffering from Alzheimer's or other dementia hear a melody connected with a meaningful memory, they can re-awaken. Many people, who have not spoken in years, find words and sing lyrics. They may regain their ability to converse and connect to those around them. The key is a personalized playlist.

MEMORIES IN THE MAKING

Memories in the Making is a find arts program for people with dementia. It was introduced in 1988 as the signature art program of the Alzheimer's Association, Orange County Chapter. It is a unique program that allows persons with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia to express themselves through art. During the creative process of painting, these individuals speak to us, offering us the essence of themselves. The art they produce is a tangible meaning of expression, which speaks to families, professional caregivers, and to the public.

The benefits of Memories in the Making can include:

- Improved self-esteem
-A productive outlet for emotions.
-Increased attention span and focus.
-An opportunity to socialize, thus reducing isolation.
-Recollection and expression of past memories.
-A way to reconnect with loved ones.

The loss of language doesn't mean the loss of the desire to express oneself. The part of the brain responsible for creativity is one of the last to be affected by the disease. The paintings, sketches, and drawings created by these artists are often highly expressive, beautiful, and hopeful. In viewing the art, the families, caregivers, and the public are often touched by the tangible evidence of what remains of the individual.