Ola Hightower loves word games. In 2006 she joined the Lotus Club, PSGDC’s wellness program for adults of any age with Early Memory Loss. “I didn’t know what to expect at first,” she says, “but now I look forward to it. I was spending too much time alone at home. This is a really good program!” Ola is a retired professor, having taught for many years at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. The Lotus Club is now offered Tuesday through Friday, and Ola comes three days a week.

Ola especially likes the word games that Jim Fiederlein (pictured above) brings to the program. She is also one of the first participants in PSGDC’s new Memory Technology Center. She had taught computer skills at Medgar Evers, and she still uses her computer at home. “Mostly solitaire” she laughs. At the Center she is using a cognitive training program that guides the user through each exercise. “It’s a challenge,” says Ola, but she knows how important it is to keep the brain active. “I’m not going to let this thing beat me,” she says of her memory loss.

The Lotus Club is still the only program of its kind in Brooklyn. We receive referrals from the Alzheimer’s Association, social workers, hospitals, neurologists, and health care plans on a regular basis. Research is showing that an integrated program, which includes both group activities and individual computer-based training, can help strengthen short-term memory and maintain or improve language abilities such as vocabulary and fluency with words. These activities also pay off in helping participants remain engaged in the world around them for longer periods of time.

PSGDC’s programming advances came to the attention of television science reporters at Channel 75 in May. They visited the Center, interviewed staff and members, and filmed activities for a possible program about innovations in services for people with early memory loss. Of special interest was the computer center and “Brain Train” program, which guides individuals through exercises set to their ability level in 20-minute sessions while working both hemispheres of the brain. With growing interesting in our computer programs, we’re also taking steps to expanding the hours for community members to use the Memory Technology Center this fall.

Caregiver Support

PSGDC’s weekday wellness programs allow individuals with memory loss to remain at home and avoid early institutionalization. Staff and families see the benefits that recent research is confirming: cognitive training helps people adjust to their illness, build self esteem, lower depression levels, provide meaningful stimulation, improve social interaction, and provide for learning. But we know that the challenges for caregivers are great. During the last year PSGDC renewed our monthly caregiver support group where people can share problems and discuss ideas that make the caring easier. Our website is expanding to include more information and links for caregivers, and we will continue to offer occasional educational programs geared to caregiver needs.