[OSList] OS for Dementia?

Thu Nov 14 18:50:32 PST 2013

Suzanne and Harrison--

Thanks Harrison and Suzanne. What I picture from what you have each 
written is opening space in an even more open manner. Lisa-style, 
without words perhaps, just inviting with eyes and hugs and music or 
humming or pictures or dancing with your hands....

:- Doug.

On 11/14/2013 03:09 PM, Suzanne Daigle wrote:
> Well Harrison... I guess I will need to reflect on that...or not so
> much.  Funny how when it gets real close, like really close, we do a lot
> to eliminate the pain (for a mom, a child or whoever) and pain there was
> when spaces around mom felt really closed and conversations seemed more
> like interrogations.
>
> Open Space was never like that for me so... I will open myself up and
> tell myself that whatever I did to make some of the hurt go away was not
> controlling or wrong, it was simply Life and Open Space. And I guess
> that's the point that I'm getting right now.
>
> So Doug, perhaps what I can imagine now through and with  Open Space is
> that more and more people would have opportunity to be with each other
> in the way that Open Space invites us to be with each other. And there
> would be much that would be good that would happen -- loving connections
> with new insights I imagine.
>
> Like wow, I can feel a few knots in my stomach feeling myself shift a
> belief that I was so certain about.
>
> Thank you for this rich insight Harrison. But I do still have those
> knots in my stomach thinking about it.
>
> Suzanne
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 14, 2013 at 11:27 AM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net
> <mailto:hhowen at verizon.net>> wrote:
>
>     Doug -- I've been a little slow to respond to this one. Slowness
>     seems to
>     come with advancing years. To your question -- OS for folks with
>     Dementia?
>     Why not?
>
>     If nothing else that population of folks would probably include just
>     about
>     everybody over 65. Of course, Dementia comes in a variety of flavors
>     from
>     mild to horrific, but those of us of a certain age have more than a
>     little
>     existential experience with the critter. It is a little upsetting,
>     sometimes. The name of your best friend which evaporated. Those lost
>     eyeglasses that you suddenly find on your nose. Finding yourself
>     standing in
>     the middle of a familiar room with absolutely no idea about why you were
>     there, and what on earth you came to do. It happens. Been there...
>
>     So, OS for Dementia? Certainly, unless of course those of us so
>     afflicted
>     have suddenly been excluded from the sacred circle of Homo sapiens. And
>     actually, I don't really think there is much choice. Fact is (I
>     find), all
>     the world is self organizing (open space) and life goes better for
>     those who
>     have learned, in one way or another, to navigate that world. Life gets
>     clunky, closed and (more) painful when we make the mistake of
>     thinking we
>     are actually in charge. I think this is true for all of us, but for
>     those of
>     us with diminished(ing) mental capacity there are some special traps
>     along
>     the way.
>
>     For example, take the situation of the forgotten name. We can sit
>     there and
>     agonize over the lapse of memory. We can beat on ourselves for being so
>     forgetful. We can remember (oh yes, we do remember some things!) how the
>     proper name just sprang instantly to mind...
>
>     With a little effort we can feel totally miserable, and our misery is
>     compounded by the fact that the harder we try to remember, the more
>     distant
>     that elusive name seems to become. But there is a solution -- Just
>     let it
>     go! More often than not, once we let go, the all important name
>     miraculously
>     appears. And if it doesn't... A smile is often better than proper
>     nomenclature.
>
>     A little Open Space is good for just about everything and everybody.
>     And I
>     have to admit that I have forgotten all the things it isn't good for.
>
>
>     Harrison
>
>     Harrison Owen
>     7808 River Falls Dr.
>     Potomac, MD 20854
>     USA
>
>     189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
>     Camden, Maine 04843
>
>     Phone 301-365-2093 <tel:301-365-2093>
>     (summer) 207-763-3261 <tel:207-763-3261>
>
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>     -----Original Message-----
>     From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
>     <mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>
>     [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
>     <mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org>] On Behalf Of doug
>     Sent: Friday, November 08, 2013 11:10 AM
>     To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
>     Subject: [OSList] OS for Dementia?
>
>     Friends--
>
>     Have been thinking that a population OST could serve in a major good
>     way is
>     among people who have dementia. How?
>
>     Perhaps we have a mixed group of people with dementia living in a
>     congregate
>     housing setting and teenagers. We gather them in a circle and do the
>     normal
>     things. The teenagers could help the oldsters remember the
>     instructions and
>     post topics. The title could be "Issues and Opportunities with Growing
>     Younger Every Day."
>
>     How, if at all, would you change the normal format of OST for this
>     group?
>     What other mixture of people would you invite? What other titles?
>
>     Perhaps we could get family members to gather with them around the topic
>     "Issues and Opportunities to Still Be Family" or "Meet Me Here Today."
>
>     I wonder.... I invite you to wonder with me....
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>
> --
> Suzanne Daigle
> Open Space Facilitator
> NuFocus Strategic Group
>
> FL 941-359-8877
> Cell: 203-722-2009
> www.nufocusgroup.com <http://www.nufocusgroup.com>
> s.daigle at nufocusgroup.com <mailto:s.daigle at nufocusgroup.com>
> twitter @suzannedaigle
>
>
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