Lake Prince Woods Receives Art-Inspired Grant Geared for Alzheimer’s

Lake Prince Woods announced today the retirement community has received a grant through LeadingAge Virginia and Opening Minds through Art (OMA), an intergenerational art-making program, founded by Dr. Elizabeth Lokon in 2007, for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of neurocognitive disorders.

“We are delighted to have this program made available to residents at Lake Prince Woods,” shared Judy Raymond, Executive Director at the retirement community. “OMA focuses on the remaining strengths of older adults to create an environment for self-expression and social engagement. Aligning with our same objectives at Lake Prince Woods, OMA promotes well-being, joy, and connection for those living with memory impairment.”

Through the OMA grant, two Lake Prince Woods employees will have the opportunity to become Certified OMA Facilitators through a 4-week online course and in-person practicum held in Richmond, Virginia. The grant is valued at $3,500 which includes two certification training scholarships and $2,000 in start-up art supplies, along with comprehensive recourses for implementing the program. The virtual training requires approximately 15 hours to complete and the two-day practicum prepares the participants with hands-on training to ensure the smooth implementation of the program into existing activities.

Lake Prince Woods team member Megan Pryor is one of the two employees who will receive the OMA grant training. Following training, Pryor hopes to implement the program through resident activities. “This program will help us cultivate our residents’ artistic outlets while providing sensory stimulation,” said Pryor.

OMA is grounded in person-centered care principles, where adults with dementia are paired with volunteers who are trained to rely on imagination instead of memory and focus on remaining strengths instead of lost skills. The OMA program enables people with dementia to assume new roles as artists and teachers and leave a legacy of beautiful artwork.

About Lake Prince Woods: Lake Prince Woods is a non-profit residential retirement community located in Suffolk, Virginia and is nestled among 172 acres bordering Lake Prince. Lake Prince Woods is part of EveryAge and offers residential living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing care, and Lake Prince At Home, a home health agency. To learn more, visit our website at lakeprincewoods.org.

About EveryAge: EveryAge, formerly United Church Homes and Services, is a not for profit Christian Ministry, originally chartered in 1961 for the primary purpose of constructing and managing retirement communities. For the last fifty years, EveryAge has developed continuing care retirement communities that offer independent and health care services and campuses for affordable housing. To learn more, visit www.EveryAge.org

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