During the last twelve months, the Center has hosted many presentations about either Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease: explaining how to discern the signs, what behaviors to expect and how to respond to the often difficult behaviors in order to provide caring and quality care with patience and sensitivity. From those presentations, one may have learned more about these debilitating conditions, but is there some way to feel what it is like to live with memory loss every day? Now there is.

Providence Senior Village & Hospice is inviting you to join over 200,000 individuals and caregivers who have completed the Virtual Dementia Tour® where you can experience what it is like to be in a world of memory loss.

During a twenty minute Virtual Dementia Tour, trained facilitators guide you through common everyday tasks and exercises while outfitted with devices that temporarily alter your physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities – giving you the ability to experience the physical and mental challenges facing those with dementia.

From the tour, you will have a better understanding of how certain common behaviors such as repetitive actions, refusal to follow directions, and rummaging are actually normal coping strategies to deal with their confusion.

This free event takes place on both Wednesday, June 1st from 10:30am-5:30pm and Thursday June 2nd from 9:30am-4:00pm at Providence Hospice of the Gorge, 751 Myrtle Street, The Dalles. The tour only takes twenty minutes but you must call or email to schedule an appointment time.

Providence Hospice of the Gorge is also sponsoring a free community screening of Inside Alive, an award winning 2014 documentary that follows social worker Dan Cohen as he demonstrates music’s ability to combat memory loss to those suffering from it by restoring a deep sense of self. Alive Inside also includes revealing interviews with renowned neurologist and best-selling author Oliver Sacks (Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain), and numerous visionaries in healthcare including geriatrician and healthcare disrupter, Dr. Bill Thomas.

After the film there will be an open discussion lead by Providence Hospice of the Gorge caregivers – Colleen Ballinger, Hospice Nurse and Emily Vawter, Music Therapist. But the screening is tomorrow (or today depending on when you read the paper), Wednesday, May 25th at 6:30 at Flagstone Senior Living, 3325 Columbia View Drive. If you would like more information, about the Virtual Dementia Tour or the showing of Alive Inside, you can call Providence Hospice at 541-387-6370 or email Desirae.Espeland@providence.org.

In time for these warmer days, the Center’s NU-2-U Shop has a nice selection of used spring and summer clothes. But they are beginning to run low in inventory. If you are sorting through your spring and summer wardrobes, the Center would be glad to find a home for your unwanted clothes. Just bring them to the Center and leave them at the front desk.

This coming Monday, May 30th is Memorial Day: a day to honor the men and women who died while serving in the armed forces. In recognition of Memorial Day, the Center and Meals-on-Wheels will be closed for the weekend; and for the bingo players in the audience, there will not be bingo on either Thursday or Saturday nights.

Every Tuesday night at the Center there is live music and on May 31st, The Dufur Boys return to play for your dancing and listening enjoyment. Doors open at 6:00, music starts at 7:00, all ages are welcome, and donations are always appreciated.

The Swedish born film actress, who starred in the 1936 movie Camille and was famously averse to any publicity was Greta Garbo. (The winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Sandy Haechrel.)

With the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 this Sunday in my home town, this week’s “Remember When” question is about the “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”. The Indy 500 is filled with traditions: the starting command “Gentlemen start your engines”, releasing the multi-colored balloons, the winning driver drinking milk in Victory Lane, and from 1972 until 2014 the tradition of this actor-singer singing “Back Home Again in Indiana”. Who was he? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it to the Center with a picture of the “addlebrained” gas station attendant on the Andy Griffith Show.`

Well, it’s been another week trying not to spill my milk. Until we meet again, if you fall flat on your face at least you’re moving forward.

“…treat people with understanding when you can, and fake it when you can’t until you do understand.” ― Kim Harrison