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Individual Alzheimer's or Dementia holding gift.

Are You Ready for the Holidays?

Spending time together as family, especially around the holidays, is priceless. However, sometimes this can be a challenging season for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia and their loved ones, as they may not be able to communicate with each other as well as they used to, share their thoughts and engage with each other like before, or feel comfortable with one another because of this new type of relationship. Families can help themselves and their loved ones enjoy those times even more with a little preparation.

Below are five holistic, sensory-based ways to engage with family members who may have cognitive challenges using Habilitation strategies. Habilitation means utilizing a person’s abilities to connect to others by meeting them where they are at in the disease process, bringing about meaning and quality in their lives, and encouraging them to stay independent for as long as possible. The key to habilitation with people who have memory care needs is through their emotional connections with others. Everyone senses and feels emotions, including those who have dementia. When sensory-based engagement strategies are used, this can ignite positive feelings and memories, promoting productive behavioral expressions and connections (Stelter, 2021).

Each of the following five strategies can elicit emotional reactions and therefore establish meaningful connections.

 

Strategy #1

When visiting a loved one with cognitive needs, bring a dog, cat, or bird if they are friendly and can be transported. The unconditional love that pets offer brings about a wonderful connection to someone who may not always be able to fully communicate. It also provides tactile, visual and auditory stimulation and can improve mood and increase physical activity. Furry friends also assist as conversation starters. If a real pet is not available or may be overwhelming for your loved one, try a realistic, life-like animal. A recommendation is the Companion Pet.

 

Strategy #2

During visits, provide your loved one with an object he/she can hold to reduce confusion and fear. This can rewire the brain to form new connections, called neuroplasticity (Freitas, 2015), which helps ground the person in the moment and reduce confusion and fear. Additionally, it can help them be more attentive and concentrate better, improving communication and engagement. A great product that can be used is any small exercise object, like a stress ball, hand exerciser, tangled object, or weighted blanket with tactile teasers. Objects such as these provide tactile stimulation, assist with manual dexterity, provide physical activity and can improve mood.

 

Strategy #3

Holidays are a time for creating memories and spending time together. Pictures capture all the laughs, serious conversations, hugs, cheers, stories and more. Think about reminiscing about past holidays together and share photos from previous celebrations. This experience is a form of visual and auditory stimulation. Remember the good times and hold onto happy memories this holiday season.

 

Strategy #4

As the day goes on and your holiday visit becomes an afternoon or evening celebration, your loved one may become more agitated and prone to anger. Such behavior can hinder the desire to visit and make communication awkward. To address these symptoms, if a morning celebration is not possible, you may want to think about utilizing aromatherapy during celebrations. Aromatherapy is the safe and effective use of essential oils. There are a large number of clinical trials that point to the benefits of using essentials oil with those living with dementia (Laguipo, 2021). Lavender is a scent that can bring about a calming sensation. If your loved one is not fond of this scent, there are several others that can be tried. Aromatherapy can also be used to entice appetite, reduce anxiety, help with sleep, increase energy and much more.

 

Strategy #5

Music has found to have many benefits for those with dementia. If your loved one likes music, playing songs they know can help improve mood and increase awareness and clear thinking. It’s best to play upbeat music in the morning, music with no words during social engagement times, and bi-harmonic music (i.e., single tune music like a violin or harp) toward late afternoon and early evening to reduce potential signs of sundowning, common with those who have Alzheimer’s disease (Freitas, 2015). Get ready to play “Jingle Bells” and other notable favorites this holiday season! 

 

To add visual stimulation to your loved one’s auditory experience, try Memory Lane TV. This multi-sensory media collection provides calming footage featuring various settings and experiences to keep your loved one feeling relaxed and engaged.

The holiday season should be as joyous as possible for everyone. Utilizing holistic, sensory-based techniques may enhance the quality of this holiday season for you and your loved one. 

At the Dementia Connection Institute, we are always striving to educate caregivers and professionals to fill their toolbox with lots of tools to be prepared when caring for those living with dementia. When caregivers are educated and prepared, this allows those living with dementia to live freely in their new world, without judgment, controls, and negativity. 

Learn more about the above mentioned engagement strategies and more at one of our upcoming seminars. Family caregivers and professionals can become certified as a Dementia Connection Specialist (DCS)! Now offering our seminars virtual and in-person. Learn more.

2C26D170-D84F-4FE8-A137-5827268361AC-Small (1)
PURCHASE BOOK
Dr-Stelters-Head-Shot-Small
WRITTEN BY:
Dr. Jennifer Stelter
Dr. Jennifer Stelter, also known as The Oil Doctor, Psy.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and Johns Hopkins Press author, who specializes in dementia care. She has 20 years experience in the healthcare field and over a dozen in the senior living industry. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer through the National Council for Certified Dementia Practitioners.
 
Additionally, she is the CEO of NeuroEssence, LLC at the Dementia Connection Institute and the creator of the Dementia Connection Model(c). Also, she is the author of The Busy Caregiver’s Guide to Advanced Alzheimer Disease. At the Dementia Connection Institute, we provide training and education on dementia care to professionals and family caregivers with a heavy focus on ‘prescribing’ with non-pharmacological interventions and engagement and empowering care providers to do the same. The vision is that those living with dementia will be able to experience and navigate their new world freely because caregivers and professionals feel better educated, prepared, and empowered in how to provide quality dementia care. We are now open! Visit us at DementiaConnectionInstitute.org.
174857
Jessican-Ryan
Jessica Ryan
Jessica Ryan is a university educated Biologist and Educator, a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP), an AromaTouch® Technique Trainer certified by Dr. Hill, a top doTERRA Wellness Advocate, and a founder and co-creator of AromaTechniques an aromatherapy and hand massage technique specific to the “vintage” population. She is the CEO of The Oil Mama, LLC, and co-founder and co-owner of NeuroEssence, LLC. She has 25+ years of experience in education and the sciences from high school to university and professional level. Over the last 10 years she has committed to staying on the forefront of evidence- based essential oil uses and educating individuals and families on reducing toxic load and increasing cellular nourishment as the key to healthy mind and body at any age. She has pioneered a specialization in working with the “vintage” population, healthcare professionals, and caregivers to educate them on the usage of therapeutic essential oils for longevity and quality of life as it relates to the Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and brain health.
 
Jessica regularly leads workshops and offers valuable and continued support through her various resources and one-on-one consultations. She also offers additional services to healthcare and residential facilities as related to the “vintage” population including caregiver and continuing education, hospice tools, and customized community wellness plans.
174857
liquid diet soup bowl with colorful puree

Is It Ok for People With Dementia to Primarily Drink Supplements?

Ponder this question…if you could only drink your meals for the rest of your life, would you want to? I think hardly not. It’s not a way of life…it’s not quality of life. However, it’s up to each person; it’s their right to decide this. But we know that when people are progressing in their disease of dementia, when their ability to eat decompensates, that choice becomes compromised. Or does it? 

A quality dining program offered at home or within a community allows choice to be available. Choice is possible when using the Dementia Connection Model©, an empirically-validated cognitive behavioral framework. This model’s main approach includes using sensory stimulation. 

When a person with dementia is stimulated using their senses, that information is processed either directly or indirectly in the limbic system of their brain that houses the amygdala (feelings) and hippocampus (memories). Therefore, positive stimuli should be used to promote positive feelings and memories, this then promotes positive behavioral expressions. And when the caregiver is the one providing these positive experiences, the person with dementia will either connect or re-connect with them because they like how they feel with that person. 

Therefore, when various stimuli are used within a dining program, these will either influence positive or negative feelings for that person. They will then know what their choice is, innately. Then, the caregiver can observe their reactions and continue to provide more of what they like. Whether that’s particular food they like, colors of plateware they are attracted to, music they want to hear during meals, smells they enjoy, and more. 

In 2016, I conducted a focus group with a memory care assisting living community in the midwest, who were looking to improve their dining experience for their residents. With challenges of weight loss and an increasing need for supplemental use, running up costs for the families, they knew something needed to be done. The focus group ran for three months with this given prescriptive engagement plan used at each meal: aromatherapy (olfactory stimulation), music (auditory stimulation), and colored plates (visual stimulation). The aromatherapy and music were started 30 minutes prior to each meal, and colored plateware was used based on the needs of the individual. Purees were served in bowls to make it look like soup (visual stimulation), and therapy assisted with any adaptable equipment needed (tactile stimulation). Results showed promising results:

  • 46% of residents increased their food consumption
  • 54% of residents gained or maintained weight
  • 72% decrease in supplemental use

And after 30 days, residents, who could but weren’t before, were wheeling themselves independently to the dining room on their own, as they were able to learn what the scent and sound meant – “It’s time to eat!”. This allowed residents to practice their own navigation skills and provide them with a form of physical activity, on top of gaining back their independence. It also allowed staff to just focus on the residents who really needed help, freeing up their time to be used in a more productive manner.

All-in-all, choice is possible from an organic process that happens in our brain when using the Dementia Connection Model. At the Dementia Connection Institute, we are always striving to educate caregivers and professionals to fill their toolbox with lots of tools to be prepared when caring for those living with dementia. When caregivers are educated and prepared, this allows those living with dementia to live freely in their new world, without judgment, controls, and negativity. 

Learn hands-on about the Dementia Connection Model to enhance your skills in communication, ADL care, engagement, behavioral management, environmental design, and much more in our new dementia certification programs. Become certified as a Dementia Connection Specialist (DCS) or Dementia Connection Specialist Certified Trainer (DCSCT)! Now offering virtual and in-person seminars. Learn more.

2C26D170-D84F-4FE8-A137-5827268361AC-Small (1)
PURCHASE BOOK
Dr-Stelters-Head-Shot-Small
WRITTEN BY:
Dr. Jennifer Stelter
Dr. Jennifer Stelter, also known as The Oil Doctor, Psy.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and Johns Hopkins Press author, who specializes in dementia care. She has 20 years experience in the healthcare field and over a dozen in the senior living industry. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer through the National Council for Certified Dementia Practitioners.
 
Additionally, she is the CEO of NeuroEssence, LLC at the Dementia Connection Institute and the creator of the Dementia Connection Model(c). Also, she is the author of The Busy Caregiver’s Guide to Advanced Alzheimer Disease. At the Dementia Connection Institute, we provide training and education on dementia care to professionals and family caregivers with a heavy focus on ‘prescribing’ with non-pharmacological interventions and engagement and empowering care providers to do the same. The vision is that those living with dementia will be able to experience and navigate their new world freely because caregivers and professionals feel better educated, prepared, and empowered in how to provide quality dementia care. We are now open! Visit us at DementiaConnectionInstitute.org.
174857
Jessican-Ryan
Jessica Ryan
Jessica Ryan is a university educated Biologist and Educator, a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP), an AromaTouch® Technique Trainer certified by Dr. Hill, a top doTERRA Wellness Advocate, and a founder and co-creator of AromaTechniques an aromatherapy and hand massage technique specific to the “vintage” population. She is the CEO of The Oil Mama, LLC, and co-founder and co-owner of NeuroEssence, LLC. She has 25+ years of experience in education and the sciences from high school to university and professional level. Over the last 10 years she has committed to staying on the forefront of evidence- based essential oil uses and educating individuals and families on reducing toxic load and increasing cellular nourishment as the key to healthy mind and body at any age. She has pioneered a specialization in working with the “vintage” population, healthcare professionals, and caregivers to educate them on the usage of therapeutic essential oils for longevity and quality of life as it relates to the Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and brain health.
 
Jessica regularly leads workshops and offers valuable and continued support through her various resources and one-on-one consultations. She also offers additional services to healthcare and residential facilities as related to the “vintage” population including caregiver and continuing education, hospice tools, and customized community wellness plans.
174857
Dementia Alzheimer's patient with family and friends human connection Social Prescription in Dementia Care

Social Prescription in Dementia Care

When we think about how far research has come in dementia care, the unfortunate reality is that there is still no known medicine for it, as well as no cure. We truly think our industry is close. Therefore, the medical model doesn’t work in dementia care. However, we can’t say that there isn’t any treatment available, because we have social prescription. Social prescription is about getting to know the whole person living with dementia, from their preferences in life, roles they’ve been in, understanding what makes them happy and calm, who surrounds them in their life, and their strengths and weaknesses; essentially it’s the essence of who they are. Around 70-75% of a person’s overall health are their social determinants, not their physical or medical health. And several modalities in dementia care have proven positive outcomes by using aspects of social prescription, like the Best Friends™ Approach, Montessori Method, and Validation Therapy. The newest empirically-validated approach upholding social prescription is the Dementia Connection Model©.

The Dementia Connection Model is a cognitive-behavioral framework that takes into account how the person living with dementia is progressing through their disease, focusing on what we know works well with advancing dementia – sensory stimulation. When a person with dementia is stimulated using their senses, that information is processed either directly or indirectly in the limbic system of their brain that houses the amygdala (feelings) and hippocampus (memories). Therefore, positive stimuli should be used to promote positive feelings and memories, this then promotes positive behavioral expressions. And when the caregiver is the one providing these positive experiences, the person with dementia will either connect or re-connect with them because they like how they feel with that person. 

The key to this connection is to consistently (i.e., structured, daily) provide these positive experiences in order to reinforce the connection and skills to maintain their highest level of independence for as long as possible (also called habilitation). This is the key to social prescription, utilizing a “prescription” of social determinants when providing good quality care. Within the Dementia Connection Model, the caregiver trials which sensory stimuli are effective, like types of music for auditory stimulation, essential oils for olfactory stimulation, and so on. Then, they determine the frequency and when this will be implemented based on what would be the most beneficial for the person they are caring for. Yes, caregivers should feel free to “prescribe” these interventions to their loved ones or seek assistance with a knowledgeable provider to do so; physicians shouldn’t have to take responsibility for this, although they should be a supporter and contributor.

Within the Dementia Connection Model, comes an approach to care called The Perfect Day™. Each part of the day (i.e., morning, mid-day, afternoon/evening), set sensory stimuli should be used to encourage positive behavioral expressions and minimize sundowning behaviors. These various sensory stimuli include auditory stimulation with music, olfactory stimulation with aromatherapy, tactile stimulation with exercise, pets, dolls, and more, and so on. Let’s dive into the aromatherapy part of The Perfect Day.

Aromatherapy is a relatively safe, all-natural use of essential oils to support one’s health. Although research has shown that a person’s sense of smell may decrease as Alzheimer’s disease progresses, the nose is still an entryway for the sensory stimuli of essential oils because the nasal cavity and nerve cells in the nasal lining are the closest entry to the limbic system. This connection between the sense of smell and the limbic system accounts for the influence of essential oils on mood and memory. Using essential oils can aid in efforts to restore the body back to its natural balance. For example, if you’re feeling sad, they may help you feel content; if you are feeling anxious, they may help you relax. Essential oils can be diffused in the air, placed on stoned jewelry, or applied to pulse points around the neck and wrist areas, like perfume or cologne. Within 20 seconds of inhaling, an essential oil will start to work. And by 30 minutes they have surfaced the whole body. Many clinical trials support the effectiveness of essential oils, including lavender and cedar for reducing anxiety and peppermint for mental stimulation. Essential oils may also be used as part of efforts to stimulate the appetite, help with sleep, increase energy, improve attention and concentration, and much more. 

A published review from 2019 provides an excellent summary of studies supporting the therapeutic use of essential oils in people with Alzheimer’s disease specifically. In The Perfect Day method, the prescription recommended to help curb negative behavioral expressions and sundowning includes using peppermint and a citrus scent in the morning. This helps increase mental clarity while improving mood – great for a morning time regimen; citrus additionally increases appetite. At meal times, citrus scents should be used to encourage eating and keep the ‘mood of the room’ elevated. Then, about 30 minutes prior to sundowning and through the afternoon and evening, lavender should be used to promote a sense of calm and encourage sleep. If the person can still smell and they don’t care for the scents being used, then simply try another essential oil that has the same benefits, truly fitting this prescription to the person’s preferences. Now, when this prescription is used daily, there is an immediate effect on promoting positive feelings and behaviors, however, after about four weeks, the person may associate these senses with understanding what time of day it is and what they should be doing, decreasing confusion, loneliness and fear. 

It’s important to keep in mind that any substance with a fragrance, including essential oils, may cause an allergic reaction in individuals with sensitivities. Use caution and test a small amount of the oil when introducing it. You will want to consult with your loved one’s health care practitioner and be sure to mention any essential oils and other supplements that you may be using or want to use.

All-in-all, we need to start using social determinants to create prescriptions that we know work for those with dementia. Start this by trying The Perfect Day, using aromatherapy, within the Dementia Connection Model. At the Dementia Connection Institute, we are always striving to educate caregivers and professionals to fill their toolbox with lots of tools to be prepared when caring for those living with dementia. Within social prescription, creating prescriptions using these tools helps when providing care.

For more information on the Dementia Connection Model and much more, go to www.DementiaConnectionInstitute.org. To grab your own ‘The Perfect Day’ aromatherapy kit, go to www.NeuroEssenceOlfactoryToolboxes.com. 

2C26D170-D84F-4FE8-A137-5827268361AC-Small (1)
PURCHASE BOOK
Dr-Stelters-Head-Shot-Small
WRITTEN BY:
Dr. Jennifer Stelter
Dr. Jennifer Stelter, also known as The Oil Doctor, Psy.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and Johns Hopkins Press author, who specializes in dementia care. She has 20 years experience in the healthcare field and over a dozen in the senior living industry. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer through the National Council for Certified Dementia Practitioners.
 
Additionally, she is the CEO of NeuroEssence, LLC at the Dementia Connection Institute and the creator of the Dementia Connection Model(c). Also, she is the author of The Busy Caregiver’s Guide to Advanced Alzheimer Disease. At the Dementia Connection Institute, we provide training and education on dementia care to professionals and family caregivers with a heavy focus on ‘prescribing’ with non-pharmacological interventions and engagement and empowering care providers to do the same. The vision is that those living with dementia will be able to experience and navigate their new world freely because caregivers and professionals feel better educated, prepared, and empowered in how to provide quality dementia care. We are now open! Visit us at DementiaConnectionInstitute.org.
174857
Jessican-Ryan
Jessica Ryan
Jessica Ryan is a university educated Biologist and Educator, a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP), an AromaTouch® Technique Trainer certified by Dr. Hill, a top doTERRA Wellness Advocate, and a founder and co-creator of AromaTechniques an aromatherapy and hand massage technique specific to the “vintage” population. She is the CEO of The Oil Mama, LLC, and co-founder and co-owner of NeuroEssence, LLC. She has 25+ years of experience in education and the sciences from high school to university and professional level. Over the last 10 years she has committed to staying on the forefront of evidence- based essential oil uses and educating individuals and families on reducing toxic load and increasing cellular nourishment as the key to healthy mind and body at any age. She has pioneered a specialization in working with the “vintage” population, healthcare professionals, and caregivers to educate them on the usage of therapeutic essential oils for longevity and quality of life as it relates to the Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and brain health.
 
Jessica regularly leads workshops and offers valuable and continued support through her various resources and one-on-one consultations. She also offers additional services to healthcare and residential facilities as related to the “vintage” population including caregiver and continuing education, hospice tools, and customized community wellness plans.
174857
Dementia and Alzheimer's experts

Connecting to Those Who Have Dementia. It’s Simple.

Caregivers of those with dementia experience a wide range of emotions during their caregiving journey, including a sense of loss that they can no longer connect to that person, like they could before. Or, for those who are new to caregiving for that individual, they just can’t feel successful in aligning with them. With many frustrating interactions, they find themselves saying things like “This isn’t who my mom is” or “I just can’t seem to do anything right for her” or “Why does this keep happening?”, leaving the caregiver feeling hopeless.

What would make that individual with dementia happy again, to feel safe and secure, and calm? Although this can seem impossible to imagine, it can be quite simple. For their own sanity and peace, the caregiver needs to lower their expectations of the person they are caring for. There is a level of acceptance needed that the person they are caring for does not have all the skill-abilities as a fully-functioning adult, yet the developmental level of a young adolescent, according to Dr. Barry Reisberg’s research and his theory of retrogenesis. Therefore, their chronological age does not match their developmental age. As the disease progresses, the person’s skill abilities go in the reverse order in which they learned them (i.e., their skills are reversing towards infancy), including mobility, communication and language, coping, independent activities of daily living (IADL’s) (like managing money, prescriptions, etc.), and then ADL’s (like dressing, grooming, etc.). This also includes how the person learns and navigates their world – adapting to a new world they now live in – as it mimics very similarly to the world a young child lives in between ages 7 years old to 4 weeks old, indicated by Dr. Reisberg. In this new world, the person with dementia is using their senses to understand what is happening around them, and these stimuli influence the person’s mood and memories all the time, very similarly to an adolescent’s experience before the first 5 years of life. This does not mean we treat those with dementia like children, but better yet we put ourselves in that person’s shoes to understand clearer what they are capable of. This leads to acceptance.

When a person with dementia is stimulated using their senses, that information is processed either directly or indirectly in the limbic system of their brain that houses the amygdala (feelings) and hippocampus (memories). Therefore, positive stimuli should be used to promote positive feelings and memories (i.e., sensory stimulation). And when the caregiver is the one providing these positive experiences, the person with dementia will either connect or re-connect with them because they like how they feel with that person. The key to this connection is to consistently (i.e., structured, daily) provide these positive experiences in order to reinforce the connection and skills to maintain their highest level of independence for as long as possible (also called habilitation).

This framework I described above is called the Dementia Connection Model©, utilizing Dr. Reisberg’s theory of retrogenesis (the WHO & WHY), the act of habilitation (reinforcing skills consistently, over and over) (the HOW & WHEN), and intervening using sensory stimulation (the WHAT). With over 10 years of research and hands-on work with individuals with dementia, caregivers and staff, I created this model to provide an avenue of acceptance and a better understanding of the progression, as well as to put tangible tools in caregivers’ hands, so that there is a strong, harmonious connection between the person with dementia and their care partner. 

Multi-sensory based tools have been clinically proven to enhance the life of those living with dementia. Tools include preferred music (auditory stimulation), aromatherapy (olfactory stimulation), pet and infant-doll therapy (tactile stimulation amongst others), using colors to one’s advantage (visual stimulation), and many more.

When the caregiver is better educated and prepared, this sets them up to feel confident and competent. In turn, they provide better quality care and engagement. Then, the person with dementia benefits because they can freely be themselves as they are now, without judgements, controls, and expectations. Their world is and should be filled with ‘sunshine and roses’; it’s that simple.

For more information, stay informed about the newly opened Dementia Connection Institute by NeuroEssence, LLC. And read more about the Dementia Connection Model© in my newly released workbook-style guide called The Busy Caregiver’s Guide to Advanced Alzheimer Disease, published by Johns Hopkins Press, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Johns Hopkins Press Bookstore.

2C26D170-D84F-4FE8-A137-5827268361AC-Small (1)
PURCHASE BOOK
Dr-Stelters-Head-Shot-Small
WRITTEN BY:
Dr. Jennifer Stelter
Dr. Jennifer Stelter, also known as The Oil Doctor, Psy.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and Johns Hopkins Press author, who specializes in dementia care. She has 20 years experience in the healthcare field and over a dozen in the senior living industry. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer through the National Council for Certified Dementia Practitioners.
 
Additionally, she is the CEO of NeuroEssence, LLC at the Dementia Connection Institute and the creator of the Dementia Connection Model(c). Also, she is the author of The Busy Caregiver’s Guide to Advanced Alzheimer Disease. At the Dementia Connection Institute, we provide training and education on dementia care to professionals and family caregivers with a heavy focus on ‘prescribing’ with non-pharmacological interventions and engagement and empowering care providers to do the same. The vision is that those living with dementia will be able to experience and navigate their new world freely because caregivers and professionals feel better educated, prepared, and empowered in how to provide quality dementia care. We are now open! Visit us at DementiaConnectionInstitute.org.
174857
Jessican-Ryan
Jessica Ryan
Jessica Ryan is a university educated Biologist and Educator, a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP), an AromaTouch® Technique Trainer certified by Dr. Hill, a top doTERRA Wellness Advocate, and a founder and co-creator of AromaTechniques an aromatherapy and hand massage technique specific to the “vintage” population. She is the CEO of The Oil Mama, LLC, and co-founder and co-owner of NeuroEssence, LLC. She has 25+ years of experience in education and the sciences from high school to university and professional level. Over the last 10 years she has committed to staying on the forefront of evidence- based essential oil uses and educating individuals and families on reducing toxic load and increasing cellular nourishment as the key to healthy mind and body at any age. She has pioneered a specialization in working with the “vintage” population, healthcare professionals, and caregivers to educate them on the usage of therapeutic essential oils for longevity and quality of life as it relates to the Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and brain health.
 
Jessica regularly leads workshops and offers valuable and continued support through her various resources and one-on-one consultations. She also offers additional services to healthcare and residential facilities as related to the “vintage” population including caregiver and continuing education, hospice tools, and customized community wellness plans.
174857
Lady Vol legend Michelle Marciniak is honoring her late friend, coach and mentor, Pat Summitt, all while raising awareness and money for Alzheimer’s.

LADY VOL HONORS PAT SUMMITT WITH CYCLING EVENT FOR ALZHEIMER’S

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Lady Vol legend Michelle Marciniak is honoring her late friend, coach and mentor, Pat Summitt, all while raising awareness and money for Alzheimer’s, and she’s doing it as only Marciniak would: by riding 500 miles on a bicycle.

fi1

HONORING PAT BY PEDALING FOR ALZHEIMER’S

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Pedal for Alzheimer’s, Ltd. announces the homecoming of University of Tennessee Lady Vol basketball Hall of Famer Michelle Marciniak who joins the organization’s fifth anniversary charity cycling event: Ride Tennessee. Marciniak, who was a part of the inaugural charity cycling event, Pedal for Pat, returns to ride in memory of her beloved Lady Vol basketball coach Pat Summitt who publicly battled Alzheimer’s.

gregs

PEDAL FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Pedal for Alzheimer’s, Ltd. announces the organization’s fifth year anniversary endurance charity cycling event: Ride Tennessee. A team of 24 cyclists will ride in the 6-day, 500+ mile route to begin in Nashville with a taste of Music City, and the team will make their way through the foothills to the Smoky Mountains, and will finish in Historic Downtown Knoxville with over 25,000 feet of elevation. This charity cycling event is set for September 13-18, 2021.

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