Main description:

Movement with Meaning is an activity/exercise program developed to help people with early-stage Alzheimer's retain the highest level of functioning possible. The underlying principle is that activities that stimulate all the senses provide optimal opportunities for reinforcing remaining strengths and promoting a sense of well-being in people with Alzheimer's. The program uses gentle, yoga-influenced movement, simple spoken poetry, auditory/gustatory stimulation, and reminiscence. The book describes how to select participants, establish a supportive environment, and conduct each type of sensory activity. Outlines of four sample 30-minute programs are included. Photos throughout the text show older adults participating in the activities and demonstrate the proper way to do the physical exercises.

Contents:

The Philosophy of Movement with Meaning; Selecting and Interviewing Participants; Setting the Environment; Centering Through Breathing; Learning by Heart; A Delicate Balance; Nice and Easy Yoga; A Sense of Timing: Music, Rhythm, and Movement; Reawakening the Senses; Carefully Choreographed Chaos.