The Retreat is based on our “I Am a Bridge” training that positions people with dementia in the roles of teacher, guide, and companion. The central experience of the five-day retreat is the daily meetings with the elders with dementia who live in a nearby residential community and participate in the program.
In addition to the one-to-one and group visits with people with dementia, the experience incorporates presentations, facilitated discussions, videos, literature, extensive reflection, yoga, daily meditation, and many hours of informal conversations with the other participants.
2:00 – 4:00pm | Arrival and Check-in |
5:00 – 6:00pm | Welcoming Meal |
6:00 – 8:00pm | Opening Circle |
8:00 – 9:00pm | Introducing the Journey |
6:30 – 7:15am | Morning Meditation |
8:00 – 9:00am | Breakfast |
9:00 – 10:30am | Presentation: Listening Deeply in a Flat World |
11:00 – Noon | Meeting Our Buddies (Buddy Bios) |
Noon – 1:00pm | Lunch |
1:00 – 2:30pm | 1st Buddy Visit – Autumn Hills Alzheimer’s Center |
2:30 – 4:30pm | Relax and Reflection |
4:30 – 6:00pm | Sharing our Buddy Visit |
6:00 – 7:00pm | Evening Meal |
7:00 – 9:00pm | Presentation: “Love is not Normal” |
9:00 – 9:30pm | Evening Wind-down |
6:30 – 7:15am | Morning Meditation |
8:00 – 9:00am | Breakfast |
9:30 – 10:30am | 2nd Buddy Visit |
10:30 – Noon | Break |
Noon – 1:00pm | Lunch |
1:00 – 2:30pm | Sharing Our Buddy Visit |
2:30 – 4:00pm | Relection and Relaxation |
4:00 – 6:00pm | Creating I-Land Maps |
6:00 – 7:00pm | Evening Meal |
7:00 – 9:00pm | Discussion: The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Leo Tolstoy |
9:00 – 9:30pm | Evening Wind-down |
6:30 – 7:15am | Morning Meditation |
8:00 – 9:00am | Breakfast |
9:30 – 10:30am | 3rd Buddy Visit |
10:30 – Noon | Break |
Noon – 1:30pm | Lunch/Complete I-Land Maps, if needed |
1:30 – 3:30pm | Presentation: Being With Care (with mid-way break) |
3:30 – 5:30pm | Sharing Our I-Land Maps |
6:00 – 8:00pm | Evening Meal (in town) |
8:00 – 9:30pm | Drumming |
6:30 – 7:30am | Morning Meditation |
8:00 – 9:00am | Breakfast |
9:30 – 11:30am | 4th Buddy Visit (with drums) |
11:30 – Noon | Break |
Noon – 1:00pm | Lunch |
1:00 – 2:30pm | Reflection on Bridging |
2:30 – 4:30pm | Sharing Our Bridging Ideas |
4:30 – 6:00pm | Rest |
6:00 – 7:00pm | Evening Meal |
7:00 – 9:00pm | Presentation: Over and Under and Back From Whence you Came |
9:00 – 9:30pm | Evening Wind-down |
6:30 – 7:15am | Morning Meditation |
8:00 – 8:45am | Breakfast |
9:30 – 10:15am | Final Buddy Visit |
10:30 – 12:45pm | Sharing Our Experiences and Closing Circle |
1:00 – 2:00pm | Lunch |
2:00pm | Departure |
Home to the wooded, historic campus of Indiana University, Bloomington is located an hour’s drive south of Indianapolis in the rolling hills of south central Indiana. The Visit Bloomington website offers information about the City’s many cultural arts and culinary attractions, as well as opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty of its surroundings.
Retreat participants are housed in cottages and in rooms in the Cultural Center. Information about accommodations is provided on the Center’s website. The cost of housing and meals at the Center will be covered by the scholarship. Scholarship recipients will receive instructions as to how to make housing arrangements with the Center. It is not necessary to make a reservation prior to that point.
Sometimes I feel like my decision to work in an assisted living facility for people with dementia isolates me from a certain "normal" world that is going on without me. The retreat, however, allowed me to feel like I am right where I need to be, in terms of mattering as an important part of society.
Joshua Crane, West Hatfield, Massachusetts
I often feel alone at work as I try to change the culture of the places where I work to recognize the humanness, the person who remains with the dis-ease of dementia. Having been at the Memory Bridge Retreat I now feel that I have hands and hearts holding me in my work. The experience has changed me as an OT [occupational therapist].
Nancy Dubuar, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
This once in a lifetime experience was beyond anything I could have imagined; I arrived with an open heart and mind, hoping to learn, to grow, and to expose myself to new opportunities and challenges. The treasure I left with was a bounty so rich I was both fulfilled and overwhelmed.
Angela Christie, Clinton, Connecticut
The impact of the retreat is with me daily. At some moment each day some piece of what we talked about comes to the forefront and sits with me as I make decisions on how to move my organization further and do the best I can for my residents.
Rebekah Levit, Waltham, Massachusetts
In this room of accomplished, dedicated, educated, experienced dementia practitioners, we were open to wonderment and continually amazed at the human spirit. How wonderful spending a week being cared for. The retreat center was the perfect place.
Nancy Sondag, New York City