Bring Harmony to Dementia Care in Curacao

Dear Donor,

We have another update on our project to bring more harmony into dementia care through music and more creative approaches to care. 

In our previous report, we shared how several dedicated employees were receiving additional coaching and training to further develop their expertise in creative and person-centered dementia care. We also shared that these ambassadors were preparing plans to help spread their knowledge throughout our organization in 2026. Today, we are pleased to tell you about a beautiful new development that strongly supports these ongoing efforts.

We have received funding from IBBxAmarte for a project called “Karisia di olanan di rekuerdo” (“Waves of Memory”) at Richardushuis in Sta. Rosa, one of the five locations of Fundashon Birgen di Rosario in Curaçao. This special initiative is a collaboration between visual artist Garrick Marchena and our elderly care institution and focuses on residents with severe cognitive and physical decline. This project shows how sensory experiences - such as familiar visuals, sounds, voices and music - can help create meaningful moments, even when words are no longer possible. As part of the project, a large mural is being created in the dining hall where these vulnerable residents gather daily for their meals. The mural depicts a recognizable beach scene from Curaçao’s past, including the coastline, fishing boats, seabirds, sunlight and the open sea. Through the use of perspective and calming imagery, the room is visually transformed into a peaceful and familiar environment that invites residents to reconnect with memories and emotions from earlier stages of life. The experience is further enhanced through ambient sounds of the sea and birds, together with familiar local dishes prepared during mealtimes. By combining sight, sound, and taste, the project creates a comforting sensory environment that helps residents feel calm, connected, and valued.

Here's how this project helps support our ongoing effort of bringing harmony to dementia care on Curaçao. This transformation of the dining hall creates an ideal environment for the caregivers who previously received the additional coaching and training mentioned in our last report. In a setting where words no longer suffice, they are now able to put their newly developed skills into practice through music, voice, sensory stimulation and meaningful interaction. This demonstrates beautifully how harmony in dementia care can exist beyond language alone. 

Projects like these continue to inspire us and strengthen our vision for elderly care in Curaçao: care that recognizes the person behind the illness and creates moments of dignity, peace and connection.

We sincerely thank you - our donor through GlobalGiving - for your continued support and encouragement. Your contribution helps us continue investing in innovative and compassionate approaches to dementia care. We warmly invite you to continue sharing our project with others so that together we can keep bringing harmony, comfort, and human connection to vulnerable elderly individuals in our community.

With gratitude,

Danielle Palm