Puzzles To Remember

PUZZLES TO REMEMBER is a 501(c)3 organization that provides puzzles to nursing homes, veterans facilities, and other facilities that care for Alzheimer's and dementia patients. Dr. Max Wallack founded Puzzles To Remember in 2008, and continues to act as an advisor and mentor. Hailey Richman is the Executive Director of PuzzlesToRemember. Since 2011, Hailey has been distributing puzzles to nursing facilities around the globe. Hailey is also the founder of KidCaregivers.com, where she provides advice for children dealing with dementia in their family members. Hailey has begun an international program called PuzzleTime which involves pairing youth members with people with Alzheimer's for an hour of shared jigsaw puzzle solving. Dr. Max Wallack serves as a mentor to the KidCaregivers program.

If you have puzzles that you would like to donate, please contact us at Puzzles2Remember@gmail.com and we will find a location near you where you can bring your puzzles. We can also provide you with a donation letter so that you can claim the value of your puzzles as a tax deduction.

To see a short video from WCVB Ch. 5 "BOSTON STRONG" about Max's efforts on behalf of Alzheimer's patients, click here.

To see a short video about Hailey's Puzzle Time Program, click here.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Doing Puzzles with Alzheimer's Patients at the Inn at Fairview in Hudson NH

By Max Wallack

Puzzles to Remember

On Wednesday, I went to the Inn at Fairview in Hudson NH to spend some time doing puzzles with the residents of their new memory care unit. Here are some photos:

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University and a Research Intern in the Molecular Psychiatry and Aging Laboratory in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at

Boston University School of Medicine. 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.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Over 33,000 Puzzles Supplied to Over 2,500 Nursing Facilities

By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

During this past week, PuzzlesToRemember has supplied jigsaw puzzles to 17 nursing facilities from California to Massachusetts.

Over 33,000 puzzles have now been supplied to over 2500 facilities.

I express my utmost appreciation for the support and help of my friends and for the financial support from the Myra Kraft foundation and the New England Patriots, American Express, and the Jefferson Awards.
•

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University and a Research Intern in the Molecular Psychiatry and Aging Laboratory in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at Boston University School of Medicine. 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.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Thank you to the New England Patriots and the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards!

By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

I had a wonderful experience on Monday. I was invited, by the New England Patriots, to a luncheon at Gillette Stadium, where I was awarded the grand prize from the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards program.

Click on the logo to watch a video of the event:

It was amazing being announced and having the opportunity to run through the helmet onto the field.

Most wonderful, though, is the opportunities this award will make possible. With the funds donated to PuzzlesToRemember, I have already supported several research efforts, and I will also have the ability to supply many more puzzles and books to Alzheimer’s facilities.

Thank you, Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots! I will use the money to improve the lives of those with Alzheimer’s disease and their care partners.
•

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Puzzles for Alzheimer’s Patients and Book for Libraries

By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember

PuzzlesToRemember has now distributed over 32,000 puzzles to over 2430 nursing facilities. This includes facilities in every state, six Canadian provinces, plus Aruba, Australia, Colombia, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, and South Africa. There are currently 12 different images available, and new images are being planned for this summer, including my favorite:

Here is a photo of the participants in the Cognitive Therapy Workshop for Seniors in the Gerontoclub at Centro Cultural Club, Lumen A.C., Mexico, as they busily work on one of the Springbok PuzzlesToRemember.

Here is a photo of the same individuals, smiling with a sense of peaceful accomplishment after completing the puzzle:

The book,“Why Did Grandma Put Her Underwear in the Refrigerator? An Explanation of Alzheimer’s Disease for Children,” is now available in English, German, French, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Norwegian, and Chinese. Japanese, Hebrew, Welsh, Arabic, and Sinhala, are all being developed.

I believe it is important for children to understand Alzheimer's disease so they can still interact lovingly with family members who have this disease. Having grown up as a caregiver to my great grandmother who had Alzheimer's disease, my hope was to provide some helpful coping mechanisms to the many children dealing with Alzheimer's disease among their family members.

If you are associated with a library or a veteran's facility and would like to have a copy of this book to help the children in your area, please contact us at PuzzlesToRemember@gmail.com, and we will do our best to provide you with a free copy.
•

Saturday, April 19, 2014

From the Ostrich Purple Angel Ambassadors: A Guide: Supporting People with Dementia in a Care Home

By Max Wallack
Puzzles to Remember
I am pleased to share this wonderful guide from Torbay Dementia Action Alliance. It is written to help those caring for people with dementia in nursing facilities. However, many of the suggestions provided will be useful to individual care partners, also! Just click here

I am proud to be a member of the Ostrich Purple Angel Ambassadors!

•

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Upper Valley Memory Cafe

By Max Wallack

Puzzles to Remember

One Saturday per month, the Upper Valley Memory Cafe meets in Lebanon NH.
Their goals are:
Encourage peer interaction among persons with dementia and their caregivers

Offer a positive and enjoyable group socialization experience

Convey information about Alzheimer's disease and related disorders

Provide an opportunity to interact with Cafe staff and our student volunteer in an informal and relaxed atmosphere

This week the participants worked on PuzzlesToRemember, jigsaw puzzles with large, brightly colored pieces, created specifically for dementia patients.

Two of the participants, Willy and Alana have worked on Springok PuzzlesToRemember previously, and the Memory Cafe had sent their photos, which were placed on the Springbok PTR boxes. Willy and Alana were the stars! Their photos were on the boxes! They autographed the boxes for other participants. Here is a picture of Willy and Alana:

To view other participants enjoying themselves at the Upper Valley Memory Cafe, click here.

Memory Cafes are very beneficial to both patients and care partners!

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University and a Research Intern in the Molecular Psychiatry and Aging Laboratory in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at

Boston University School of Medicine. 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.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Puzzles Supplied to 28 Nursing Facilities This Weekend

By Max Wallack

Puzzles to Remember

Puzzles have been accumulating, and this weekend hundreds of puzzles were packed up and shipped out to 28 nursing facilities. I hope their residents enjoy the puzzles!

Max Wallack is a student at Boston University and a Research Intern in the Molecular Psychiatry and Aging Laboratory in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at