Doug -- I've been a little slow to respond to this one. Slowness seems to come with advancing years. To your question -- OS for folks with Dementia? Why not?
If nothing else that population of folks would probably include just about everybody over 65. Of course, Dementia comes in a variety of flavors from mild to horrific, but those of us of a certain age have more than a little existential experience with the critter. It is a little upsetting, sometimes. The name of your best friend which evaporated. Those lost eyeglasses that you suddenly find on your nose. Finding yourself standing in the middle of a familiar room with absolutely no idea about why you were there, and what on earth you came to do. It happens. Been there... So, OS for Dementia? Certainly, unless of course those of us so afflicted have suddenly been excluded from the sacred circle of Homo sapiens. And actually, I don't really think there is much choice. Fact is (I find), all the world is self organizing (open space) and life goes better for those who have learned, in one way or another, to navigate that world. Life gets clunky, closed and (more) painful when we make the mistake of thinking we are actually in charge. I think this is true for all of us, but for those of us with diminished(ing) mental capacity there are some special traps along the way. For example, take the situation of the forgotten name. We can sit there and agonize over the lapse of memory. We can beat on ourselves for being so forgetful. We can remember (oh yes, we do remember some things!) how the proper name just sprang instantly to mind... With a little effort we can feel totally miserable, and our misery is compounded by the fact that the harder we try to remember, the more distant that elusive name seems to become. But there is a solution -- Just let it go! More often than not, once we let go, the all important name miraculously appears. And if it doesn't... A smile is often better than proper nomenclature. A little Open Space is good for just about everything and everybody. And I have to admit that I have forgotten all the things it isn't good for. Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Dr. Potomac, MD 20854 USA 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) Camden, Maine 04843 Phone 301-365-2093 (summer) 207-763-3261 www.openspaceworld.com www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org -----Original Message----- From: oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of doug Sent: Friday, November 08, 2013 11:10 AM To: World wide Open Space Technology email list Subject: [OSList] OS for Dementia? Friends-- Have been thinking that a population OST could serve in a major good way is among people who have dementia. How? Perhaps we have a mixed group of people with dementia living in a congregate housing setting and teenagers. We gather them in a circle and do the normal things. The teenagers could help the oldsters remember the instructions and post topics. The title could be "Issues and Opportunities with Growing Younger Every Day." How, if at all, would you change the normal format of OST for this group? What other mixture of people would you invite? What other titles? Perhaps we could get family members to gather with them around the topic "Issues and Opportunities to Still Be Family" or "Meet Me Here Today." I wonder.... I invite you to wonder with me.... _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org .