Dementia creates ambiguous loss. Your loved one is here, but not here. It’s confusing. There’s no timetable, so no sense of closure.
Ambiguous Loss and Dementia
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Songs & Smiles co-founders Eric and Sheryl Kolb with Sheryl’s mom, Trish, in 2017, sharing a moment of joy during the Alzheimer’s journey. Eric and Sheryl helped care for Trish from the time of her diagnosis in 2008 until Alzheimer’s took her life in 2019.
Celebrate Life
We support caregivers and families during the Alzheimer’s journey, encouraging them to celebrate life with love and laughter. We know how hard it can be to connect with someone who has Alzheimer’s, but we also know the tremendous value of each person and every shared moment of joy.
So, we sing and we smile. We rethink how we have conversations, and we look for creative ways to connect.
FEATURED ARTICLES
Safe With Us: A Caregiver Story
Kim Foster helps care for her mother-in-law, Alice, who is living with dementia. Reflecting on an especially challenging stretch during the pandemic, she says: “It was the toughest three months I’ve ever spent caring for someone. But it was completely worth it.”
Not-So-Obvious Dementia Care Tips
When caring for a loved one living with dementia, learn to look at things in a new way. It’s easy to overlook the little things, but those little things may make a big difference.
FEATURED RESOURCES
Books and DVDs Available Free to Dementia Caregivers
Select from a list of books and DVDs available to dementia caregivers.
Singalong Show: 12 Fun-to-Sing Songs
Singalong show designed for sharing with people who have Alzheimer’s, featuring singable keys and tempos, with easy-to-read lyrics.
4 Favorite Books for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
These nonfiction books resonate with me personally and are valuable for Alzheimer’s caregivers and anyone interested in dementia care.
QUICK LINKS
Keep Families Together
Our Mission: Keeping Families Connected During the Alzheimer’s Journey
Caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s presents unique challenges, and the journey can last for many years. Sadly, many caregivers get worn out and families often drift apart.
Everything we do is about keeping families connected during the Alzheimer’s journey. Join us in encouraging and supporting caregivers and families.
Trish, whose maiden name was Beeson, celebrated her 78th birthday in 2017 together with the other “Beeson Ladies.” From left, Trish’s grandniece Sydney, niece Stacey, grandniece Emma, sister Mary, Trish, daughter Sheryl, niece Terri, and grandniece Grace.
Living With Alzheimer’s
In 2021, an estimated 6.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s.
By the Year 2060
The number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s is expected to rise to 13.8 million by 2060.
Unpaid Caregivers
More than 11 million Americans provide an estimated 15.3 billion hours of unpaid care each year for people who have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
Connect With Joy
You love someone who is living with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. You are on a journey that can bring feelings of sorrow, frustration, and helplessness.
We care about you, and we want to support and encourage you. May you find rest and comfort along the way. We believe it’s okay to grieve as you care, and we think it’s important to include other people on your journey.
This season in your life can include moments of genuine joy and celebration. You can remain connected with family and friends, and you can remain connected with your loved one living with dementia.
All of our programming, including our singalongs, are designed with one mission in mind: “Keeping Families Connected During the Alzheimer’s Journey.” Please explore our site, sign up for our email list, and let us know how we may support you as you care for your loved one.
Residents at a memory care facility connect with the music as Songs & Smiles co-founder Eric Kolb leads a singalong.
Get Involved
Care for Caregivers
Provide encouragement and support to those on the front lines.
Care Tips
Learn how to connect better with someone who has Alzheimer’s.
Share Your Story
Encourage others by sharing your own story.
Volunteer
Contact us about getting involved as a volunteer.
Olive and her daughter, Trish, in 1946. Songs & Smiles honors these two family members, both lost to Alzheimer’s. We lost Olive in 2006 and Trish in 2019.
Beautiful Memories
We know how it feels to love and care for someone living with Alzheimer’s. We founded Songs & Smiles to encourage and support other families during the challenging journey.
We use music to help people living with dementia connect with memories and other people. Recently, we visited residents at a local memory care facility to lead a singalong of some golden oldies … songs such as Daisy Bell, For Me and My Gal, Let Me Call You Sweetheart, and Tea for Two. After the show, a resident said the songs made her think of when she was a young child and sang those songs with her mother.
Her words reminded us of this picture from 1946 of a young mother named Olive and her seven-year-old daughter, Trish. Our family lost both of these women to Alzheimer’s (Olive in 2006 and Trish in 2019). Hearing the resident’s sweet memories, we pictured Olive and Trish singing some of the same songs we now share with others.