[OSList] OS for Dementia?
Christine Whitney Sanchez
christine at innovationpartners.com
Thu Nov 14 22:08:55 PST 2013
Doug, Suzanne, Harrison and all,
I find it interesting that a few weeks before Doug started this conversation, a parallel conversation about using Appreciative Inquiry with people with memory loss has been taking place on the AI Listserv.
And I find it heartening to simply hear your voices via this wonderful list. I’ve been a butterfly for quite a while but I am in the space with you.
Namasté,
Christine
Christine Whitney Sanchez, Partner
Innovation Partners International
Phoenix, AZ, USA +1.480.759.0262
www.innovationpartners.com
On Nov 14, 2013, at 7:50 PM, doug <ost at footprintsinthewind.com> wrote:
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>
>
> www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com>
> www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com> (Personal Website)
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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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