CAMP MOMENTIA: Loved one with dementia? 2 day-camp sessions coming up in West Seattle

From Seattle Parks – though it’s a month away, you’ll want to sign up ASAP:

Camp Momentia is an inclusive day-camp experience for people living with dementia and their loved ones hosted by Seattle Parks and Recreation and partner organizations at Camp Long in West Seattle. This is the fourth year of Camp Momentia and this special event has expanded due to popular demand to offer two days of camp to accommodate more participants. Sunday, September 10th will be a family-friendly day of camp welcoming youth 9 years and older, coinciding with National Grandparents Day.

Sign up today for Saturday, September 9, 10 am-3 pm or Sunday September 10, 10 am-3 pm. (lunch provided)

What happens at camp?

Each year is unique, offering opportunities for exploring nature, being creative, and developing social connections and camp always ends with s’mores and songs around the camp fire. This year will feature a special musical theatre performance created and performed by UW Musical Theatre students, directed by Silver Kite Community Arts’s Jen Kulik, created in partnership with The 5th Avenue Theatre, UW Medicine, and an advisory group of people living with dementia and their care partners. This year’s activity sessions will include nature-inspired art-making with a certified horticulture therapist and group story-telling with trained facilitators using the TimeSlips™ method developed by MacArthur Genius award winner Anne Basting (www.timeslips.org).

Camp Momentia is made possible through partnerships, sponsorships and dedicated volunteers. This year’s partners are Seattle Parks and Recreation, the Associated Recreation Council, PNA/Greenwood Senior Center, Senior Center of West Seattle, Providence Mount St. Vincent. Sponsors are Aegis on Madison and Quail Park of West Seattle.

Fees for camp are kept low to increase accessibility. $20 covers the day including one care partner. Transportation available from North Seattle, South Seattle, and Bellevue.

Space is limited, so register today. Contact Cayce by August 29 at 206-615-0100, cayce.cheairs@seattle.gov

Momentia is a grassroots movement empowering people with memory loss and their loved ones to remain connected and active in the community. The Momentia website features a community calendar of dementia-friendly programs and events throughout the greater Seattle Area: www.momentiaseattle.org. Keep an eye out for Momentia t-shirts and banner decorating the Walking on Logs Statues starting on August 30th.

Mark August 8, 2017 (3:37 pm)

Dementia sucks, when your own mom does not know who you are really is tough.

WSB August 8, 2017 (4:34 pm)

I’m sorry about your mom. My father-in-law (Patrick’s dad) died of it, and RIP, Glen Campbell, whose death at age 81 followed a battle with Alzheimer’s. // Glad to know of programs like this to help families dealing with this celebrate each other and celebrate life for each additional day we have it … TR

Jeannie August 8, 2017 (5:39 pm)

My mom had dementia; she died 4 years ago at age 91. It was just awful to witness her decline. She had excellent care, and she recognized me to the end, but I’m sure she and I would have benefited from a great program like Camp Momentia.

Mom was at two top-notch facilities, but keep in mind the good places are very, very expensive. Don’t spend all your money; you might well need a lot later in life. Sad but true.

Exhausted Daughter August 8, 2017 (8:31 pm)

Unfortunately, not everyone earns enough during their working years to afford $8k per month over the many years a facility (top-notch or otherwise) may be needed, especially with early onset dementia which may require 10-20+ years of care. Nursing homes are increasingly becoming a luxury for the wealthy, and I cannot even imagine the effects if the $800 billion in proposed Medicaid cuts actually happens. Many of us whose parents didn’t amass a small fortune are giving up our lives, careers and any possible dream of saving for our own retirement to essentially run in-home nursing facilities.

Mark August 8, 2017 (10:58 pm)

Adult care is very expensive. Everyone needs to set aside 10% or more of their income into a retirement account via automatic payroll deduction or via a bank automatic withdrawal. Money not seen is not spent, yes you may need to forego a latte or eat out less often. But in the end you are saving!

Exhausted Daughter August 8, 2017 (11:33 pm)

Foregoing a latte or holding back 10% of your income is not going to cover the cost of nursing care for someone with dementia. My father worked from the mid 1960s to the mid 2000s with his highest salary in the $55,000 range. Even pretending that he made that salary for all 40 years of his working life, and he saved 10%, that would be $220,000. Which would pay for a nursing home for approximately 2.5 years. I really don’t think most people understand the enormous costs and how long a person can live without being able to care for themselves. I have two different friends whose parents had excellent savings, stock and pensions and were extremely well off in retirement, who blew threw over $1M in ~10 years in memory care facilities.

Katie King August 9, 2017 (9:22 am)

My heart goes out to those of you who have loved ones living
with memory loss and those who have lost loved ones to it. My mother, a long
time West Seattle resident, also recently passed away from complications of
dementia. It takes a terrible toll on the people who have it and their caregivers.
Exhausted Daughter please know you are not alone. West Seattle is fortunate to
have an active support community for
people living with memory loss and their caregivers. Camp Momentia is just one
example. The Senior Center of West Seattle also has activities that are great
for people living with memory loss and their care partners. Mom and I used to
participate in all of these, including Camp Momentia, which is fantastic.

https://sc-ws.org/mc-events/drumming-circle-2/?mc_id=718

https://sc-ws.org/mc-events/sing-along-2/

http://sc-ws.org/mc-events/ukelele-sing-along/?mc_id=1753

Emily August 9, 2017 (4:31 pm)

Thank you for sharing, Katie!

For WS folks on Facebook: our West Seattle Momentia group has a group page. Just ask to join! We regularly post information about local opportunities and events. It could also become a support network for those with memory loss and for those who have loved ones with memory loss.

Mark August 9, 2017 (12:17 pm)

Exhausted Daughter

Your math appears decent. Factor in SS likely 3 years of resources.

I know where my mom is at they required private pay for 3 years that seems to be a reasoned requirement before they will accept Medicaid (that I personally have concerns with).

Dementia is brutal on all involved. My brother and I are lucky that my mom did all paperwork DPA and filled in the DNR while she still had most of her memory intact.

Now she is essentially gone and is totally dependent on care. She did not want to exist like this!

Emily August 9, 2017 (4:33 pm)

For WS folks on Facebook: our West Seattle Momentia group has a group page. Just ask to join!

We regularly post information about local opportunities and events. It could also become a support network for those with memory loss and for those who have loved ones with memory loss.

We are always trying to spread the word. We want to be advocates and build up our community of support for those with dementia and their loved ones. Please feel free to contact me at etritt@uw.edu if you’d like to learn more about the Momentia movement in West Seattle.

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