As I witnessed first-hand the effects of dementia with my grandmother, Rosette, and lived the experience of being a care partner, I was determined to discover what might be possible — to find what positive steps might be taken to help Rosette and my family, and all the others like us.
If you are reading this note, chances are you too are facing a similar life experience. You may have a family member or friend with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. You may be a caregiver in a nursing facility or at home. Difficult at times though it was, I now think of my own voyage with these circumstances, begun with my grandmother’s diagnosis, as a gift of sorts.
I gratefully consider all that I have learned, the many amazing people I have met and worked with, and our collective accomplishments in developing Memory-Lane TV. While not a cure, it is based on proven, effective methods of care, simplified and packaged for ease of use by care partners of all backgrounds.
Our goal at Memory-Lane TV is to share our findings with you, so all who need them can benefit.
As a film producer, I understand the power of sensory stimulation. I vowed to create and gather moments on film for this community that would honour individuality, dignity, inner beauty, and the rich life experience of users. These films can provide viewers a sense of purpose and meaning — or a soothing respite — even as the disease progresses. To develop and test this approach, and to see it through to wide success with many residents and their caregivers, I have worked with an extraordinary, multidisciplinary group of dedicated colleagues: physicians, gerontologists, therapists, filmmakers, musicians, and specialists in the field of multisensory stimulation. In addition, many experts devoted to the care of people living with dementia volunteered to run trials at prestigious institutions, both in Europe and the United States, and to offer invaluable suggestions that have helped to refine and improve what is the first streaming platform dedicated to this pathology. We have collaboratively pooled our different areas of knowledge, pushing each other to think creatively, to keep going, and to remain always alert in the search for innovative solutions. The result is Memory-Lane TV:
Like my beautiful grandmother, a person with dementia is first a person, with his or her own unique story. They still have a lot to share. With kindness, sensitivity, and the appropriate tools, we can reduce their stress and agitation. We can improve the quality of their lives and our own.
At Memory-Lane TV, we believe that people with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias can continue to engage in meaningful activities and communications, especially when receiving support that is carefully tailored to their cognitive needs. Backed by current research, we have found that multisensory-stimulation environments (those designed to appeal in an appropriate way to all five senses) produce immediate positive effects on the behaviour and mood of those with a diagnosis of dementia. Through innovative use of digital media and this multisensory approach, the Memory-Lane program enables dynamic, non-directive communication between the participant and the caregiver. Such communication raises the quality of life and creates a sense of wellbeing, allowing positive reminiscence and a satisfying expression of a sense of self.
Regular television is not designed for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and it can in fact be confusing and alienating to them. Typically, commercial television’s style is fragmented, fast-paced, and youth-oriented, with multiple interwoven narratives and recurring characters engaged in complex exchanges. To follow most regular television shows requires a well-functioning short-term memory and knowledge of current popular culture. In these ways, they are neither appropriate nor pleasurable for people living with dementia.
In contrast, the content developed for Memory-Lane TV is created to work well with individuals with a dementia diagnosis and their distinctive cognitive style and needs. Our content uses cinematic high-definition technique, temporal references, and guided imagery (see the following section for more on guided imagery) to help ground viewers in the present moment — or to particular times of the day (e.g. morning vs. evening). This process is comforting and reassuring to patients, many of whom feel adrift in time because they lose their grounding in the natural rhythm of the day.
Memory-Lane TV seeks to provide a useful, non-pharmacologic intervention to lessen the neuropsychological symptoms of dementia, such as wandering, calling out, decreased alertness, anxiety, and agitation. User testing revealed that our program can relieve stress levels, and in so doing, helps to create positive, cooperative interactions. Memory-Lane TV addresses all the senses in its program, including a sense of time, giving our methodology its true impact and effectiveness. We designed the product to be supportive, positive, easy to use, and convenient to integrate into daily routines.
Additionally, it was developed as a palliative-care method to accompany or supplement traditional care. Our collection of films delivers a unique multisensory approach that can be used successfully in a wide variety of settings, such as assisted living memory care, nursing care facilities, adult day programs, and in private homes.
Our product takes a humanistic, person-centered approach to care, and it can be highly customized, thus captivating viewers and providing the necessary respite for all involved. A gentle yet powerful tool, the Memory-Lane TV solution provides many benefits to individuals with Alzheimer’s and other related dementias.
Memoro, Inc. makes no claims as to Memory-Lane TV’s permanent impact on the progression or symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias. Memory-Lane TV’s approach is palliative; in other words, relieving or soothing symptoms without bringing about a cure. On the other hand, it is important to note that medical approaches to date cannot make stronger claims in this regard, either. Sadly, there is no cure currently for these diseases. What Memory-Lane TV and its methodology have exhibited is real potential for positive impact on patient stress, overall patient awareness, quality of caregiver-patient interactions, and caregiver stress levels.
Memory-Lane TV’s approach to dementia is unique in concept, combining a range of complementary methods into an integrated package, deliverable over a network. The following factors spell out how Memory-Lane TV distinguishes itself from other complementary medicine efforts:
