SPECIALLY CREATED PHOTOS BRING TEARS OF JOY -MORNING POINTE ASSOCIATES CREATE SPECIAL GIFT FOR FAMILIES-Creating a Meaningful Day, it’s the goal of every associate every single day at The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence in Lenoir City (TN). So when it came time to create special holiday gifts for the residents’ families, the goal was no different. The two Tammy’s, as they are referred to, Tammy Sklinstiver and Tammy Price, came up with the idea of specially created vintage photographs of each resident connecting them with a time in their past. The Tammy’s are both resident assistants at The Lantern in Lenoir City, they take care of the seniors every day, so they know them very well. “The residents and families become part of our family,” said Tammy Price, “and we wanted to give them something that would be special, something they would keep for a long time.” A main hallway display with vintage clothing in The Lantern memory care community sparked the idea and the two got right to work gathering up all of their supplies and brainstorming on each photograph. “We collected clothes, I went to thrift stores and consignment shops to find clothing and some hats,” explained Sklinstiver. “And, we made some hats with feathers and flowers.” The two Tammy’s rounded up props from other associate’s homes as well, including old wash tubs, vintage suit cases, wash boards and even an old 1932 Model A Ford. Without a single photography class, the two set up shop and created a make-shift studio transporting residents back in time. The process became an activity for the residents, one by one. “The coats, boas, make-up and hats brought back a lot of memories for them,” said Sklinstiver. “The ladies especially enjoyed it. Some didn’t want to take off the real mink stole. They were tickled to death.” And the car was a huge hit “When we brought the old car in for the day, the residents started talking about how their dad had one of those,” said Price. “One gentlemen got into the car and couldn’t get over it. He wanted to stay out there. It brought a lot of happiness to them.” Each photography session, brought new ideas for the next. Tammy K. handled getting the residents ready and the props and Tammy P. would take the photos. They started the process back in September and worked it into their daily routine. The project took more than thirty hours to complete. “It worked out good,” said Sklinstiver. “We click together, and we always know what the other one is thinking.” Of course, neither expected the overwhelming response of gratitude and appreciation from all of the family members once each received their special photograph. “We are still getting family members coming up and hugging us and telling us how much they appreciate them, how much they love them,” said Price. “That makes us feel good.” One family member broke down crying after he received the photo of his wife. She was an artist so the two Tammy’s had her set up outside with an easel like she was completing one of her own pieces of work. “It just turned out to transport her back in time,” said Price. “Her husband comes every day. It really meant a lot to him.” And, that means a lot to the two Tammy’s. “The residents mean so much to us”, said Price. “We learn from them and are touched by them every day more than we could ever give.”
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 14:21:58 +0000
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