In celebration of #GivingTuesday on December 3, 2020, our community and more than 75 other communities will show their support for the Validation Training Institute. With each donation to the organization, the donor will be entered into a drawing to win a quilt that Meridian commissioned and named the Symphony of Memories.
The quilt honors the role that music plays in the care of those with dementia. The quilt features beautiful fall colors and is constructed of quality fabrics depicting instruments and music notes. Meridian has long celebrated the work done by the Validation Training Institute (VTI) and its mission to train and educate people on effective communication techniques with residents who suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia.
“I have personally experienced thousands of people’s lives greatly impacted in a positive way when caregivers utilize Validation techniques,” expresses Kevin Carlin, Owner, Meridian Senior Living and Volunteer Board Member for VTI. “Through VTI’s work globally, increasingly more people have improved personal interactions with people with dementia.”
Individuals interested in making a difference and being entered into the drawing, can donate to VTI through a dedicated GoFundMe page through December 31, 2020. Meridian Senior Living will proudly announce the winner of the drawing on January 4th, 2020 on their Facebook Page.
GivingTuesday is a “Global Generosity Movement” that urges people and organizations to donate time, funds, or offer a voice about a significant cause in their local community to make a positive impact. GivingTuesday was founded in 2012 as a simple idea of instituting one day for people to give back to their local or global community. Today, it has grown into a global undertaking including hundreds of millions of participants inspired to celebrate generosity. Meridian Senior Living has chosen to support VTI for GivingTuesday after years of seeing VTI’s methodology greatly benefit its residents.
Founded by Naomi Feil in 1983, VTI is a U.S.-based, not-for-profit organization that offers progressively developed certification levels and training programs in addition to a network of national and regional Validation organizations to disseminate information, train interested individuals, and maintain the Validation Method, a distinct way of communicating with those with dementia. VTI’s ultimate objective is to “nurture respect, dignity and well-being in the lives of older adults experiencing age related decline and their caregivers.” Validation helps reduce stress, enhances dignity and promotes happiness. Built on an empathetic and holistic approach, Validation asks caregivers to ‘step into the shoes’ of those with dementia and ‘see through their eyes’ to understand the meaning of their often-complex behaviors. This method allows seniors the opportunity to express, both verbal and non-verbal, their often-suppressed feelings and needs.
Learn more about The Validation Training Institute by visiting their website