St. John’s Dementia Specialist’s Work Featured Locally
For over two decades, Mimi DeVinney has supported residents living at St. John’s Home. That has meant finding innovative ways to engage those who call St. John’s home—particularly those residents living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. “I have a genuine love for working with people with dementia,” DeVinney recently told In Good Health. “They are unique and fun to work with and it is just a rewarding part of my life.”
More from DeVinney:
“I like working with people with dementia because they’re always in the moment, they are very honest, they get pleasure out of things that sometimes we take for granted and they love people unconditionally. You can definitely see the change in the mood of somebody who goes from being bored with nothing to do to finding something that they enjoy, something that makes them feel contributing that they can be helpful. Things that remind them of things they used to do.”
“Mimi brings a deep understanding not only of dementia, but how it impacts the elders living here and the employees who work with them,” St. John’s Director of Nursing Diane Bogaczyk told In Good Health. Bogoaczyk and DeVinney were both involved, with others, in the development of the Beyond Memory program at St. John’s Home. “We are extremely fortunate to have Mimi on our team.”