WRPA 2019 Annual Conference and Tradeshow

Dementia-Friendly Recreation!

Thursday, April 11 | 9:00am - 10:15am

Session Description:

More than 100,000 people live with dementia in Washington State, and that number is expected to triple by the year 2050. While people with dementia remain vital members of their communities, they often encounter barriers to staying connected and engaged. In this session, participants will discover simple ways to adapt recreation programming to the strengths and needs of persons with dementia. Instructors will highlight the pioneering work and impact of Seattle Parks and Recreation Dementia-Friendly Recreation programs, while providing examples of adaptive arts, fitness, and social-engagement models that can work in your region. Participants will be inspired by what’s possible and leave with the confidence and tools to make their own recreation programs more dementia-friendly.

Speakers:

Marigrace Becker, Program Manager for Community Education and Impact, UW Memory & Brain Wellness Center
Cayce Cheairs, Dementia-Friendly Recreation Specialist, Seattle Parks & Recreation

About the Speakers:

Marigrace received her master’s in social work from the University of Washington in 2010 with a focus on aging and community organizing. As a recreation specialist for Seattle Parks and Recreation for more than nine years, she worked with a team to develop and launch its dementia-friendly recreation programs. At the UW Memory & Brain Wellness Center, she manages education, support, and engagement programs for people with dementia and their families and promotes public awareness efforts. She is a member of the Dementia Seattle Stewardship Team and leads the Dementia-Friendly Communities project team for the Washington State Dementia Action Collaborative.

Cayce has facilitated and coordinated programs for people living with memory loss since 2011. At Seattle Parks and Recreation, she works with community members and partners to offer opportunities for people living with memory loss and their loved ones to be active, connect, create, explore, learn, and make a difference. She is a part of the Dementia Seattle Stewardship Team and a member of working groups in multiple Seattle neighborhoods, focused on grassroots efforts to create dementia-friendly communities across the city.