Through our partnership with the Hearthstone Institute, Abe’s Garden® has implemented the I’m Still Here™ engagement and training program developed by Dr. John Zeisel, President of Hearthstone Alzheimer Care, founder of the I’m Still Here Foundation, and author of the paradigm shifting best seller I’m Still Here: A New Philosophy of Alzheimer’s Care.
Abe’s Garden® is an I’m Still Here Center of Excellence certified by the Hearthstone Institute. As a Center of Excellence, Abe’s Garden® employees are trained in the I’m Still Here approach and Institute Staff assess and recertify yearly.
Partnering with the Hearthstone Institute provides Abe’s Garden® with state-of the-art best practices programs for Alzheimer’s Care and access to the latest national and international evidence-based programs and approaches. The partnership enables Abe’s Garden® to continually employ programs and techniques, and to convey these to family members and the larger community to improve care. In addition, Abe’s Garden® and Hearthstone’s research Department develop joint research projects to further evidence-based practices.
The Hearthstone Institute and Abe’s Garden® collaborate in the following areas:
- Resident Assessment & Family Education
- Staff training
- Quality monitoring & improvement
Hearthstone is internationally known for its innovations in memory care and its investment in clinical research. Their extensive experience demonstrates how the years following an Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia diagnosis can be filled with opportunities to create positive, fulfilling experiences that enable people with cognitive disorders to live engaged and purposeful lives.
Dr. John Zeisel, Principle Investigator on National Institute on Aging (NIA) and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Research Grants, is a critical advisor and resource to Abe’s Garden®. In addition to serving as a Member of the Board, he is also a member of the Research Advisory Committee, helping to craft the evidence base for Abe’s Garden®. As Founder of the Hearthstone Institute, his I’m Still Here approach is central to Abe’s Garden®’s programming approach.