Essential Awakenings™ Smell.Recall.Connect Activity Kits Gifted To The Block Island Free Library

2019 was a year of proud moments and accomplishments for The Scent Guru Group, LLC., starting with the completion of design and production of MindScent™  a patent pending multi-sensory educational and communication tool kit that is currently being sold to educators and Speech Pathologists.  Another proud moment was in December when I donated Essential Awakenings™  Smell.Recall.Connect kits to the Block Island Free Library after reading a Block Island Timesarticle that the library will be offering a senior activities program at the end of this month. The free program will take place once a month on Thursdays from 10AM to 1PM where they will participate in activities that include yoga, and a "circle" using sensory prompts such as the popcorn smell prompt from Essential Awakenings™. A light lunch with some soup and a little dessert will also be provided. 

The senior activities will be organized by Judy Mitchell, an employee at the library who has had a career as an Activities Coordinator in Assisted Living Communities on the mainland and Eletha Buote-Greig, the vicar at St. Ann's by-the Sea Episcopal Church.  The process for the respite will be simple:  When dropping off their loved one, caregivers will need to read information about the program and sign a waiver.  This is the island's first and only respite program for seniors, so it will most certainly be a welcome to the entire community, especially because Block Island winters are long and cold, and seniors have few opportunities or places to go outside of their own homes. 

Oral storytelling has been an essential part of cultural traditions and communication since the beginning of mankind, and every human being has their own special scent memories associated with their life's history.  When I started developing Essential Awakenings™ smell prompts, I thought about our American traditions and lifestyles in order to focus on which aromas might resonate with as many people as possible, eventually leading to the selection that I have made for the both editions of Essential Awakenings™.   The smell prompts and their accompanying clue cards have proven to be a useful tool for family members, Recreational and Activities Directors at Assisted Living Communities in bringing their loved ones and residents together in a fun, stimulating and social activity focused on the recall memories, leading to conversation and storytelling.  

It is a heartwarming feeling I have to be able to give this gift to the Block Island Free Library and its residents, and look forward to being able to drop in on a Thursday in the future when I make my next getaway.  If you are on the island yourself, check with the library's website or call them at 401-466-3233 to find specific dates for their respite program.