Photo by Tom Eblen
Three decades ago, the Best Friends Day Center in Lexington, KY began creating a new approach to caregiving for people with Alzheimer's and dementia called the "Best Friends Approach", which is now an internationally recognized care model that has been implemented in over 30 countries.
Virginia Bell began the Best Friends program in 1984, and has co-authored several books on the subject of Alzheimer's therapy, and at 92 years old, continues to be an energetic force behind the Best Friends initiative.
The center says they are always looking for volunteers to spend time with residents (volunteers' ages range from high school students to those in their 80s and 90s), however, they are particularly looking for men, who comprise only 18 of the center's 88 current volunteers.
Bell says that male volunteers are especially helpful to male participants, who are sometimes disinterested in the center's arts and crafts sessions, and enjoy rather talking about sports and their careers or military service.
Read more: Tom Eblen: Center needs volunteers to help with therapy for Alzheimer's patients