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Puzzles To Remember

PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a youth led 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias through jigsaw puzzles, cognitive engagement, and social connection. Led by Executive Director Hailey Richman, Puzzles To Remember has distributed more than 236,000 puzzles valued at over $2 million to more than 5,000 memory care communities, nursing homes, veterans facilities, senior centers, and other organizations across all 50 states and 16 countries. Our programs have benefited more than one million people while diverting approximately 148 tons of puzzles from landfills through donation and reuse. Puzzles To Remember also promotes intergenerational connection through Puzzle Time, which brings young people together with individuals living with dementia for shared puzzle solving, conversation, and companionship. Our mission is to provide engaging and purposeful activities that promote connection, participation, and joy while enhancing the quality of life of those affected by dementia. Donate Puzzles If you have puzzles you would like to donate, please contact us at Puzzles2Remember@gmail.com. We will help identify a location where your puzzles can benefit individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Donation acknowledgment letters are available upon request.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

PuzzlesToRemember Presented to Mclean Hospital

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By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember




I had a nice meeting today with Dr. Ellison at Mclean Hosptal. Dr. Ellison is Clinical Director of Geriatric Psychiatry at McLean. McLean is Harvard Medical School's Mental Health Hospital, and one of the best in the country. Dr. Ellison said that Springbok's PuzzlesToRemember can give Alzheimer's patients a feeling of accomplishment even if they don't remember the puzzle afterwards. He said the emotion and feeling of accomplishment still remain. He was pleased to receive the puzzles.
Max Wallack is a student at Boston University Academy. His great grandmother, Gertrude, suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Max is the founder of PUZZLES TO REMEMBER. PTR is a project that provides puzzles to nursing homes and veterans institutions that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients.

Posted by Max Wallack at 5:29 PM

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1 Comment:

Emma said...

Yes, I have read studies that have findings which show that emotion can endure" beyond the conscious recollection for the events that initially triggered the emotion." (Dr. Feinstein - University of Iowa)
The feelings of elation can last as long as 30 minutes after an event such as SOLVING A PUZZLE. How wonderful that dementia patients can experience joy even though they may not recall what actually caused it to occur.
A simple activity can take the place of medication and bring comfort!

January 11, 2011 at 7:01 PM  

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PUZZLES TO REMEMBER was founded in 2008 by Max Wallack, in memory of his great-grandmother, Gertrude Finkelstein, who died of Alzheimer's disease in 2007.
Puzzles To Remember is registered in Massachusetts as a public charity. Contributions are welcome, and are tax deductible under sec. 501(c.)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

For more information, write to us at Puzzles2Remember@gmail.com