Many people are reluctant to allow a family member with dementia to leave home, fearing that changing their environment would create additional hardships. However, research continues to support the idea that people living with dementia can benefit greatly from engagement and community rather than the relative isolation of being homebound.
About That Place You Know, LLC®
That Place You Know, LLC®, is a NH State Licensed Program designed to provide life-enriching activities during daytime hours for adults in our area. Hollis New Hampshire resident, Krissy Wuerdeman, has developed a new concept to provide memory enrichment for her clients using Validation techniques in an adult day program setting. She has created a private practice in her home, and is accepting individuals who are well-suited to this type of adult care.
Holistic Approach for A Loved One Living with Memory Impairment
Under the direction of Krissy Wuerdeman, one of only a very few individuals in New England who is certified to practice the groundbreaking, therapeutic techniques of the Validation method, our program utilizes a unique, holistic approach. These methods not only include music as medicine, art therapy and mindful meditation, but also integrates the power of intuitive therapies with validation techniques.
By offering a unique, holistic adult day program in a private home setting, That Place You Know, LLC® provides a very successful and exciting approach to the rapidly growing area of memory enrichment.
By combining these two effective practices, a more meaningful connection is created allowing for better communication, problem-solving and an overall greater sense of well-being for both clients and their families. This program design is an exciting enhancement to the already effective approach of working with the needs of individuals with memory impairment and their families within a structured and well-rounded activity schedule. Recognizing that each of our clients has his or her own unique story, skill set and purpose to share is what makes our holistic approach so powerful.
Validation provides purpose, peace for those with dementia.
That Place You Know, LLC® is a homebased adult day program that’s more like a retreat. There’s a stew cooking in the oven for lunch. There’s morning talks and music in the living room. There’s time spent around a large farm table making crafts, like decorative Thanksgiving plates to bring to their holiday meals.
But what makes That Place You Know, LLC® special is not the bucolic setting or the comforts of home. It’s a unique communication method Wuerdeman spent three years learning called “Validation.”
It’s a program based in empathy and listening, designed to help the caregiver see the disease through their loved one’s eyes while helping them cope with unresolved issues as they approach the final stages of life. It’s a widely accepted method in Europe and gaining momentum in the United States.
Validation uses music, art and meditation to get the person talking about their feelings as a way to reduce stress and to help caregivers understand the motivations behind their behaviors.
“Just because your loved one has memory loss doesn’t mean there has to be a disconnect,” says Krissy. “It gives us a sense of peace and shows we’re all connected.”
Krissy says she is the only person north of Pennsylvania using the approach in a home-based program. “You meet their emotions with love not fear,” she said. “You’re telling them ‘I’m here to share your journey with you.’”
Article written by Gretchen M. Grosky / New Hampshire Union Leader 2017
Caregiver Support -Monthly Group Meetings via Zoom
On the last Wednesday of each month, That Place You Know, LLC® holds a Caregiver Support Group Meeting via Zoom.
Our purpose is to focus on emotional support while sharing experiences and will include discussions on education, nutrition, caregiving techniques, and community resources. Meetings are held from 6:00 – 7:00 pm.
Please click here to fill out the form or email us at krissy@thatplaceyouknowllc.com to get the Zoom link.
The Comforts of Home
Our home is their home. We have common areas for all to use that provide a safe and relaxing experience for our clients each day.