A heartfelt blog sharing Hetty’s journey with her sister Heather through early-onset dementia, capturing caregiving, connection, and the enduring power of love while reminding others they are not alone.
When John shared with us his concern that Heather had a cognitive impairment, which was later confirmed, I wanted to find a way to support John and spend time with Heather. Recognizing Heather’s flair for color and design, I suggested we capitalize on her talents by planning Friday art sessions.
We started in the fall of 2022. Our initial Fridays together were so easy to plan. Heather was keen to try her hand at anything I proposed. We painted with acrylics, made stained glass mosaic mirrors, wreaths, and beaded sun catchers. Our art session lasted hours every Friday.
As many of you know, art has been one of the ways Heather has expressed herself, connected with others, and brought joy to so many people. Over time, however, her condition has progressed significantly.
UPDATE: July, 2026
Heather has now lost the ability to communicate through speech or language, and she is no longer able to understand or participate in the creative process that made Fridays with Heather so meaningful. She has also lost the fine motor skills needed to make art. Although there will be no new artwork from Heather, the beautiful legacy she created remains.
The spirit of what we built together is now carried forward through the art sessions I facilitate in the Adult Day Program at Northwood, where creativity continues to be a source of connection, dignity, and joy for older adults.
In addition, we are developing resources for caregivers—tools inspired by Heather’s journey and the power of creative engagement. These materials are intended to support others in bringing meaningful, accessible arts experiences into care settings and homes.
Two of these resources will soon be available. Care Cards is a set of 100 thoughtfully designed activity cards offering simple, engaging ways to connect through three pathways: creativity (hands-on art and expression), exploration (cognitive stimulation through memory, curiosity, and discussion), and movement (gentle physical engagement that supports comfort, rhythm, and presence).
The second resource is a 200-page book titled Artful Connections: A Guide for Caregivers. Through the work of 18 celebrated artists, this practical guide helps caregivers inspire creativity and nurture meaningful, joyful connections with older adults, including those living with dementia or memory loss.
We will let you know when these resources become available.
Heather was in a happy mood today. She was receptive to a walk around the corner and a stroll in the back garden. It marked a promising start to the day.While it had been a month since Heather was willing to even look at art materials, I decided test the waters. I handed Heather a Read More
It’s been quite a while since I last shared anything. Over the past several months, I’ve regularly offered art supplies to Heather, hoping to coax her into joining me in drawing, painting, or even just coloring. Regrettably, I couldn’t seem to spark her interest in any form of artistic expression. But I wasn’t ready to Read More
Heather has started layering colours in her art. This is a new phenomenon as she was previously very careful to not mix or blend colours on her canvas. In this piece of art, Heather began by making a yellow circle with a marker. She then drew additional circles within the yellow one, sometimes covering an Read More
I got to spend the evening with Heather while John attended the 30th anniversary celebration of the Samba Nova | Community percussion band in Halifax, NS in which he has been a member for many years. I brought art supplies, and we enjoyed a relaxing time painting together. It started with just a few drops Read More
I’ve discovered that Heather is most comfortable when painting with liquid watercolors. Although she may struggle with opening the bottles or knowing what to do once they’re open, I’ve noticed that if I drop a few splashes of paint onto the paper, she immediately starts painting. Her painting reminds me of a sandwich and is Read More
In my book, Fridays with Heather – An Art Journey through Dementia, you will find samples of the art Heather and I made together from the early fall of 2022 until the early winter of 2024. As you will see, there was a rapid decline in Heather’s approach to making art during this time. On Read More
This Friday in early March, I laid out a few colours of paint and a few oil pastels. As Heather watched, I started drawing shapes using the oil pastels on my paper. I handed a pastel to Heather and encouraged her to draw on her paper. Then, I began using the bright colors from our Read More
