The latest New Yorker of the Week is a social worker who branches out to older adults dealing with memory loss. NY1's John Schiumo filed the following report.
Music can be life-changing for those living with early stage Alzheimer’s Disease.
"I love the program, I love the people in the program, and it’s kept me alive," says participant Lenny Kaminsky.
"When somebody gets up there and plays the piano, it takes me back to when I was a teenager and people seem happy," says participant Dee Darin.
Leading the way on this day is Elizabeth Fine. For decades, she helped older adults as a social worker. About 10 years ago, she noticed a trend.
"People were getting diagnosed earlier in the course of the illness at that time, and yet, there were no services or programs for them, and so I started to look around to see what I could provide that didn’t exist already," Elizabeth says.
Elizabeth filled that void by founding The Memory Tree. The nonprofit empowers adults facing memory loss.
"We worry about having those senior moments, and when those senior moments get more and more frequent, it can be a little scary and threatening to people," Elizabeth says. "Having a place which is warm and welcoming and supportive helps people support each other as they deal with the memory challenges they face."
Classes involve memory aerobics, music, art, literature and yoga, all designed to keep the brain and body challenged.
"Memory Tree gives you a chance to refresh your life if you're an older person and a chance to meet other people like yourself," says participant Gerald Mazza.
"We want to move on up a little higher. That’s what we all want," Darin says.
"I like the idea of a tree because it is something that grows. It blossoms, like I feel our participants do," Elizabeth says.
The Memory Tree partners with four community organizations to provide workshops in Manhattan. Elizabeth and her instructors have helped hundreds of New Yorkers.
"She’s like an angel," Darin says. "If she turned around, I'm sure she’d just fly away."
"I wish I didn’t have to leave," Kaminsky says.
So, for inspiring seniors by creating memories, Elizabeth Fine is the latest New Yorker of the Week.
For more information about the nonprofit, call 917-656-0558 or visit thememorytree.org.