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In 2021, Clark was given a wonderful opportunity to provide residents with a way to improve their memory and help fight cognitive decline by implementing the StrongerMemory program. The program was developed by Rob Liebreich, President and CEO of Goodwin House after his own mother started showing signs of mild cognitive impairment. Liebrech, who has ties to Clark as his grandmother-in-law was a Memory Care resident, contacted Clark’s leadership to offer the program to Clark.
The StrongerMemory program is designed to stimulate the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which governs our ability to retrieve memories. Residents spend approximately 20 to 30 minutes each day engaged in reading, writing, and simple math activities. The program is beneficial for people with mild cognitive impairment and early-stage dementia but can even be helpful for those looking to ensure better brain health as they age.
So far, over 40 Clark residents from skilled nursing, memory care, assisted living and independent living have completed the program. The feedback has been excellent! When starting the program, residents were given a cognitive assessment to get a baseline of their functioning level. The first cohort of residents have already seen an improvement in their scores by 1 to 2 points.
An unexpected benefit of the StrongerMemory program has been opening the door to honest conversations about dementia and memory loss. Particularly residents discussing how they can support each other if someone is experiencing dementia.
If you’d like to learn more about the StrongerMemory program at Clark, you can email Chris Simons at Chris.Simons@clarkretirement.org.
If you think your loved one could benefit from Memory Care at Clark, contact our senior living advisors at marketing@clarkretirement.org or 616-278-6520 or fill out the form below to schedule a personalized consultation to discuss your loved one’s situation and see if Clark is the right fit for your loved one.