- In 2000, Noell Hammer, then Executive Director of an Alzheimer’s Association chapter, decided to use her artistic ability to enable Alzheimer’s patients to create art. These paintings were auctioned as part of the chapter's spring fund-raiser, and over the next three years, the “Making Memories” Gala raised over $100K for the chapter.
- After the local chapter closed, Ms. Hammer began a private practice, calling her unique painting program, "Art Without Boundaries."
- Remarkable reports began to come in of changes in the patients who
participated in painting sessions. Driven to understand these reports, she began
to search the Internet for answers and came up with a working hypotheses. "I'm an artist, not a scientist," she was quoted in a newspaper article. "But I'm right-
brained, which makes me a good detective."
- In 2005, The Art Without Boundaries Foundation was incorporated.
- In February of 2006 the first student was certified as a Mnemetecnic Therapist.
- In the summer of 2006 the name of the therapy was shortened to MnemeTherapy.
- In 2007 the paid apprenticeship program was launched in tandem with the community awareness campaign, ART FOR ELDERS
- November, 2008, first Autistic client, Cara. The success paved the way for private practice, eliminating the need for the fundraiser.
The mission of the Art Without Boundaries Foundation is to create rewarding opportunities in the new field of MnemeTherapy by offering apprenticeship to artists and entrepreneurs to open chapters. For more information on training, click here.
How does MnemeTherapy (TM) differ from Art Therapy?
Art therapy is a valuable service that uses psychological means to achieve its goals. MnemeTherapy uses every day pleasures like singing, movement, painting, and story-telling, in a unique combination to stimulate a natural process in the brain called neuroplasticity. MT can be used with any stage or type of dementia, cognitive impairment or disability, including blindness. We have only one criteria and that is willingness to participate.
Dedication
by Noell Hammer
The AWB Foundation is indebted to
Dr. Joseph Rowan and his "Sweetheart," Sarah.
Without the encouragement of these two special people none of this would have been possible.
Sarah Rowan cared for her husband Joseph for over twenty years, during a time when Alzheimer's disease was neither understood nor accepted. He suffered from right side temporal/parietal damage which made his care difficult for Sarah. In the last years of his life, he no longer recognized her or remembered her name, but called her "my sweetheart."
Sarah is a giver. Even though she cared for Dr. Joe at home, she found time to volunteer at the North Central Ohio Alzheimer's Association as a board member. She was responsible to hiring me as Executive Director and encouraging me to paint with patients, even when everyone else thought the idea was "ridiculous."
She became my mentor and an inspiration to me, as I watched her handle difficult situations with humor and grace. When the chapter had been "absorbed by realignment," and the Making Memories program dropped from the budget, it was Sarah who encouraged me to pursue my passion and used her own money to underwrite the trip to South Carolina to paint at Mattie C. Hall, where we had first breakthrough case study.
Before moving to Florida, I attended the reception at Ashland University, where Dr.Rowan was once one of their most respected professors. He was being honored by his peers as his painting, "Pieces of our Lives" was hung in their gallery. Sarah said these words, which never fail to bring tears to my eyes:
"When Joseph and I were young we came here full of enthusiasm to teach young people how to live. Now we have the privilege and the honor to teach everyone how to die with dignity."
Dr. Joseph Rowan passed away in 2004 and Sarah, although a breast cancer survivor, continues to speak across the country on behalf those who have no voice.
Thank you, Sarah. We all miss you, Dr. Rowan.
This is your legacy.
