AGELESS OUTINGS - ACTIVITIES FOR THOSE WITH DEMENTIA

Our speaker today is Mary Archer.  Mary created the non-profit program Out and About Colorado in early 2014, which is based in Littleton. Mary and her team care for people who have mild-to-moderate dementia.  Most of the families in their program live in Littleton, Highlands Ranch and Centennial.

Out & About Colorado strongly believes in the value of group activities, socialization, and being out in the community, in particular for those in the earlier stages of dementia. They take their clients out to dine in restaurants, they have picnics, walk on trails and in parks, play croquet and bocce ball, do service projects, attend lectures and tour museums.  In addition they coordinate events for family members, like workshops, dinners, parties and support groups.

Mary's work experience has allowed her to serve people during all stages of Alzheimer’s, by providing Recreational Therapy in nursing homes, conducting day trips at  an Adult Day Program and as a  professional private caregiver through a homecare agency.   She has a Certificate in Gerontology from UCLA, and an undergraduate degree in Sociology.

Over the years Mary has hosted hundreds of people on outings, and now is the co-author of “Ageless Outings”, a guidebook with over 200 ideas for things to do in the Denver area.