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FAQ: Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I would make a good facilitator?
If you love to talk with your friends, listen to what
they are saying and offer support you have
some of the best skills to be a good facilitator. Add to these communication
skills a dash of theatrics and a pinch of humor, praise, respect, acceptance,
affirmation, and servant leadership. And if you know great things are possible
you are a good facilitator.
Do I need teaching experience?
No. Though skills in teaching would be handy, skills
learned conducting meetings, reading to others, volunteering at other
activities and life skills from other careers and hobbies would carry the
program successfully.
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Do I need to be a certain age?
No. Friends come in all ages. The exuberance of a
teenager might connect to memories of a grandchild. The energy of the over
twenty might remind them of the years they were the go-getters. The physical
appearance of the over fifty might bring a child to mind. An age peer might
prompt a touch with a special friend. Age doesn't’t seem to matter to the circle
of friends. It is the smile, the respect and the joy that counts.
Do I need to read the tutorial?
Yes. I understand how tempting it is to not read the
instructions. I am married to someone who only reads instructions if something
goes wrong or stops when lost upon a threat of divorce. My circle of friends
has taught me a lot about how they want the time together to unfold. I believe
the tutorial will actually save time in the long run and double your joy.
Do I need to be a writer?
No. The story is the creation of the circle. Asking good
questions is important. You are only the scribe. Hopefully you can print or
write legibly.
Since the process is based on skills in kindergarten is
it too childish for adults?
Absolutely not. All the skills have been adapted to the
needs and interests of this special senior population. Everything is presented
in a context based on adult perspectives. For instance, when the lesson plan,
Grandparents is presented the nursery rhymes are introduced as rhymes they have
read to their grandchildren. Nursery rhymes are one of the favorites of my
circle of friends. It is a great interactive form.
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What if I make a mistake?
Mistakes make you more likeable. The time together is not
about winning a Pulitzer for literary achievement or being chosen as our
nation’s poet laureate. It is capturing without judgment the words of another.
It is embracing the contribution. Sometimes the results will shine. Sometimes
the results on the paper are not so good. But every time the friends are
validated and respected.
I want to be a facilitator. How do I find a facility?
Look in the yellow pages, ask friends for facilities
where their family members live or search your neighborhood. You may also sign
up in The Meeting Place. Volunteers and
facilities can find each other here.
Does the facility have to have a separate memory support
unit?
No. Making Tired Eyes Smile® is a great pastime
for the residents with dementia. Most assisted living facilities care for
seniors who require special memory prompts. It is my experience that this
population often slips through many of the facility’s existing programs.
We want a facilitator. How do we find a volunteer?
Contact the churches and community centers within your
geographical area, post a notice at your sign-in desk, ask a visiting family
you think would qualify or sign up at The Meeting
Place.
How do I get training to be a facilitator?
The tutorial is self-guiding. It is enough assistance to
launch most facilitators. However, some would prefer a workshop to hone and
clarify the process. I am available for workshops at your location or mine.
Visit Training for more details.
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Is there training for professional caregivers?
LaRee L. Ewers has created an unique training experience, Hands On, for the professional care staff. After observing caregiver
interactions in many facilities, LaRee sees how the resident and staff
communications can elevate. Visit Training for
more details.
Are there discounts available on training?
For groups of ten or more the price is discounted $5 per
participant. There is a charge for duplication of materials.
Are there discounts available on speaking?
I request that you pay me for the benefit received plus
the out of pocket costs of travel and duplication of materials. Under certain
criteria the fee for benefit is waived for charitable organizations.
Can I charge the facility for my services?
The spirit of Making Tired Eyes Smile® rests on
giving these services as a volunteer gift from one person to another. It is an
unconditional gift to those members of our society sitting on the edge of
memories. However, there are financial rewards available for those facilitators
who choose to become certified on one or both of the levels. They can be
financially rewarded for contributions to the guide or training others in the
process.
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What would appeal to family support
groups?
The facilitator of a family support
group would love the conversations that are triggered by four select readings.
The readings are designed to raise the level of understanding on the
possibilities that still reside for the family member. The readings also
encourage the family members to put their feelings down on paper. Writing is a
therapeutic practice. Visit Speaking Engagements for excerpts.
What would appeal to the family caregiver?
The family caregiver would like:
- Poems – A
Collection of Poems: Recitations in Unison
- Stories – My Family: Stories
to Prompt Stories for Those Whose Stories Are Fading
- The Diary – The Diary: My
Unedited and Uneven Steps on the Rough Terrain of Alzheimer’s (Annotated)
- Leave an Activity – Skill
Cards with Quotes
- Stories and poetry from a circle
of friends – Weaving Whimsy
- Expressions of gratitude – We
Are Thankful
Visit The Options for
more details.
What motivated Making Tired Eyes Smile®?
Making Tired Eyes Smile® began as my way of
extending the quality of my mother-in-law’s life after her diagnosis of
Alzheimer’s. It began from a selfish perspective and quickly evolved to a
personal passion to change the public’s perspective on this memory robbing
disease.
Why should I consider certification?
Certification increases the visibility of Making Tired
Eyes Smile®, assists in the consistency of desired outcomes and offers a
facilitator the opportunity to develop lesson plans that others would like to
purchase.
A second level of certification allows facilitators to
train others in this process and receive almost 90% of the training fee
collected.
Who is LaRee L. Ewers?
LaRee is a caregiver who refused to accept the dreary
images of the disease as portrayed in the media. She is convinced there is a
lot of living between diagnosis and death and sets out to find it within a
circle of friends.
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