Smooth glide for Alzheimer's patients

Charles outing helps one man unlock memories

Muriel Fallows (center) was helped into a canoe on the Charles River. Four other Alzheimer's patients enjoyed the ride. (MARK WILSON/GLOBE STAFF)

The sun peeked intermittently from the clouds and a cool breeze blew across the Charles River in Newton yesterday as five smiling Alzheimer's patients donned life jackets and boarded canoes.

The five seniors were residents of the Harbor Program at Evans Park at Newton Corner, an assisted living facility. The outing was the first of its kind organized by the program, said Seth Dudley, executive director of the facility.

The five seniors who participated were chosen because boating had played a large part in their lives before they were diagnosed, he said.

"It is the first opportunity to get out on the water," said Dudley. "It's a chance to break out of the box." The residents are in different stages of the disease, ranging from early to midstage, he said.

When the residents, who ranged in age from 78 to 88, arrived at the dock at Charles River Canoe and Kayak in Newton, staff helped them into the canoes.

The two canoes then glided down the river at no particular pace, passing ducks, geese, and the occasional swan.

"It's lovely," Sarah Rubin told a reporter who came along for the ride. Rubin hummed tunes softly and tapped the side of the boat, commenting on the birds and other sights, as a staff member and volunteer paddled.

The trip, which lasted about an hour, unlocked memories for at least one resident.

Franco Traetti chatted for 15 minutes about the boat he owned when he was younger, said Mallory Jenkins, director of the Harbor Program.

"He said he loved the sound of the oar against the water," said Jenkins. "He talked about how he used to fish and how he owned a boat that was smaller than the canoe."

The event was pronounced a success by Dudley and Jenkins, who tried to keep the residents engaged by constantly asking questions about their lives and the surroundings.

"Everyone wanted to be there and everyone was happy," Jenkins said after the trip.

Pam Ciquier, a Harbor Program staff member, has been working with Alzheimer's patients for 30 years.

"Everyone is happy. Definitely a success," said Ciquier. "The program is great. I bring my dog to work sometimes and that has triggered response from the residents."

Harbor Program started at Evans Park in November. It offers specialized care for people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, an incurable malady that attacks the brain and affects 4.5 million Americans

"It's a philosophy that a nursing home is the worst place for them, and they can live in assisted living with some accommodations," said Jenkins. "It is a holistic approach that treats the person rather than the illness."

The canoeing event was one of many the program has planned for its residents. Other events include going out to dinner, the theater, and fishing, said Dudley.

"Everything we do is to trigger memories and a sense of self," said Jenkins.