The happy hug of a clinic clown

In order to address dynamics that may keep a child from talking about traumatic experiences, a Mexico City-based child psychologist developed Antennas. Antennas is an animated character controlled and voiced by the psychologist who, as an alien, can ask basic questions about people and relationships. This approach has been effective for psychologists and use of Antennas has spread to the judicial system as well.

The Musical Memories Cafe is a social gathering space for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as their caregivers. Participants gather to enjoy music, seek refuge outside of their homes and get access to peer support and health resources. There are more than 1,000 memory cafes operating around the world, both in-person and virtually.

Well Spouse Association helps spouses manage the mental and physical challenges of caregiving. The nonprofit offers support groups, respite weekends that give caregivers time to take care of themselves and other responsibilities, and other resources. The relationships members build with each other help combat feelings of loneliness and isolation. With just 20 chapters nationwide, many members travel long distances to access the support and services, though moving meetings online due to the coronavirus pandemic had the effect of expanding membership and several members have also started local chapters.

Daybreak is a respite care program that offers daytime services for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The affordable alternative to long-term care facilities provides seniors a place to go during the day where they can engage in activities that stimulate their minds. It also gives caregivers a needed short-term break from the oftentimes stressful and emotional work of care giving, to focus on their own needs and obligations. The programming ranges from exercise programs to music and art therapy. The staff also provides direct support to the caregivers, helping connect them to available of resources.

Connecting with art enriches the lives of patients struggling with dementia and Alzheimers. Across Germany, several programs are using art to stimulate the minds of an aging population. At the Lehmbruck Museum in Duisburg, seniors meet to discuss art pieces that affect them. Elsewhere, in Bonn, the Demezionen theater ensemble performs for retirement homes. And even clowns can bring a positive atmosphere to seniors struggling with dementia!

The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care program at UCLA in California is offering a new kind of patient-centered care that has helped bring relief to families in the region. The program, which creates a care plan "that builds in medical needs, solutions for caregiver stress and cultural traditions unique to each person and their family," has resulted in decreased stress and symptoms for patients and increased confidence and support for caregivers.

A theater company in Germany is using specially-designed plays to help improve the emotional state of those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The carefully selected ensemble uses period pieces, music, and audience interaction as a way to increase engagement and has seen individuals respond to this methodology.

The Outdoor Equity Fund in New Mexico introduces troubled youth across the state to exploration in nature as a sort of informal therapy and mental retreat. The Fund - a first of it's kind across the nation - distributes resources and funding to local outdoor and youth-centered nonprofits to spread the impact of their missions across the state.

Pokemon Go may have faded from mainstream popularity after it peaked in 2016, but the game is finding new life in Spain, where older generations are using the game to be more socially engaged in their communities. Social workers in Badalona, Spain are suggesting the game to clients lacking exercise and social inclusion.

More than five million Americans have Alzheimer’s or similar illnesses, and that number is growing as the population ages - without any immediate prospect of a cure, advocacy groups have begun promoting ways to offer people with dementia a comfortable decline instead of imposing on them a medical model of care, which seeks to defer death through escalating interventions. An Arizona nursing home offers new ways to care for people with dementia.