Sarah Benbow, Executive Director of Communications | Feb 16, 2021
I’ll bet you didn’t know that a group of butterflies is called a Kaleidoscope. But what a perfect description! Just like the kaleidoscope toy that we’ve all looked through, a group of butterflies in flight is a mass of swirling colors, moving and creating new and beautiful patterns.
My three-year-old nephew and I once went to a butterfly house together. There were butterflies flying all around us, and my nephew was laughing and jumping with excitement. And then, a large purple butterfly landed on his arm, and he was mesmerized and couldn’t take his eyes off of it. So much intricate detail on just one creature.
We all know that the butterfly on his arm had once been a caterpillar. It had undergone a significant transformation and came out the other side a new, amazing creature.
For those of us at Walker Methodist, this transformation represents what we see in our communities every day. Families come to us because their loved one is undergoing change in memory and cognition. That change can be scary and profound, but we take joy in helping everyone find the beauty in this stage of life.
We’ve re-named our memory care communities Kaleidoscope, a fitting name suggesting metamorphosis, vibrancy, and life.
At Walker Methodist, we don’t just take care of people with memory loss or dementia. We see their value and recognize their worth in this stage of their lives. We not only meet their physical needs, but we care for the needs of the person as a whole being.
Our care givers don’t just assist a resident with grooming, they know which side grandpa likes his hair parted on. Our chef doesn’t just make sure a resident is fed, she knows that grandma loves her morning toast slightly burnt and her eggs a little runny. We know our residents, and we love them like family.
As a resident undergoes change in memory, she is never making her journey alone. That is why we’ve chosen to name our memory care communities, not after a single butterfly, but after a group of butterflies. Because we are all part of a family, a kaleidoscope journeying through life together.
If you have a loved one who is experiencing this transformation, reach out to our team today and learn how we can help enhance their lives, even during this time of change.
