United Minds

"United Minds helped me see that dementia doesn't completely change a person or make them unable to communicate."

- NHS Volunteer

Approximately 44 million people worldwide are living with dementia. Although the cure for dementia has not yet been found, certain measures can be taken to slow down the progression of the disease. That's where this project comes in.

United Minds was created as a way to address the often inadequate social care provided to elders by the community. Once a person is diagnosed with dementia and put in a memory care facility, they are cut off from the rest of society. This only perpetuates the degradation of the mind. In order to delay the effects of dementia, the mind must be stimulated with activities such as games, puzzles, conversation, or music. This project directly confronts the issue of insufficient mental stimulation for people with dementia. United Minds involved New Prague's National Honor Society members volunteering at events at the local retirement community of Mala Strana. At these events, NHS volunteers interacted with the memory care residents by speaking with them about their families, playing card games, or solving puzzles. The impact of these activities was clearly visible by the end of the visit. After teaching the residents the games a few times and providing guidance at the beginning, they were able to reason through the next step and play primarily on their own.

This blog documents each of the events and steps in completing this project and the impact it had on everyone involved. Click on the "Decorations" or "Parties" tabs at the top of this page to read more!