Lifelike murals help Essex Center residents remember

Lohr McKinstry, The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
·3 min read

Apr. 1—ELIZABETHTOWN — Essex Center resident Monica Christianson approaches one of three new large murals in the facility's dining hall and places brightly-colored artificial flowers at the artwork.

The mural shows a pastoral scene, with a stream, trees and rabbits, something the 81-year-old memory-loss program member from Rouses Point relates to from her life.

She tells the staff at the home that after viewing the mural she recalls details from her childhood.

UPLIFTING IMAGERY

Essex Center Recreation Director Beth McLaughlin selected the three murals from Creative Art Co of St. Mary's, Ontario, a mom-and-pop outfit with Karen and Brian Romeril working as a team to design, draw and paint the murals.

"Back in January, I had a conversation with Samantha Greene, a consultant with Centers Health Care," McLaughlin said. "She sent me three sites to investigate. I chose Creative Art. I was fascinated by their colors, their uplifting, very relatable imagery. I liked the interactive component."

Centers Health Care of New York City is the parent company of the Essex Center in Elizabethtown.

THREE MURALS

McLaughlin picked three murals for the facility.

"The first is a cottage. The details of cats and dogs, curtains, shrubbery, is what you need for dementia help. The second is a meadow, rabbits and trees, the details are vivid. The last is a windowsill with a 3D flower-box in front of it."

The meadow scene is 8x4 feet, while the other two are about 12x4 feet in size.

For Essex Center, it is the start of developing a much-needed dementia program for the memory-care unit, Centers Health Care Director of Corporate Communications Jeffrey Jacomowitz said.

"Murals like these promote conversations about long ago regarding their homes such as pets, gardens, wildlife," he said. "From a mural showing a countryside and wide open pastures, to a window flower-box, dementia residents start discussing their lives back then as it relates to these murals."

CONVERSATION STARTER

The windowsill has vases at the sides where artificial flowers of several varieties can be placed by the residents of the center.

"They place flowers with the vases, they pick a mural, pick their flowers," McLaughlin said. "Then we discuss the mural and ask 'do you remember having a cat or a dog?' Then they can explore. The cognition is alive and well."

The idea is for the memory-care individuals to open up and talk about their lives.

"It's a great conversation starter," McLaughlin said. "They put the flowers in and we ask 'what do you see?' Some see their childhood, they see their mother cooking and they might say 'I loved her spaghetti.'

"We close by collecting the flowers. They sit down in the dining area where the murals are and discuss the details."

'THEY REMINISCE'

The very elaborate murals trigger memories of their past they may have forgotten, she said.

"They reminisce," McLaughlin said. 'The major goal is to reduce negative behavior, and alleviate confusion, anxiety and boredom."

It works, she said, and the murals have been very helpful in caring for those with memory-loss.

"The murals promote socialization, relieve anxiety and enhance their safety."

Email: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: @LohrMcKinstry