A day worth getting up for
People living with dementia still need what all of us need: friends, a reason to get up, and the feeling of being useful. Old Friends Club – Anacortes is built on that belief. Every day is part familiar routine and part new adventure, so Members feel safe and still have something to look forward to.
Why I believe in this
“I’ve spent my career as an occupational therapist watching what happens when a person is given a real job to do. A man who hasn’t spoken much all morning tells you exactly how to sand a board. A woman who can’t remember breakfast sings every word of a song from 1955 and pours coffee for the whole table. The brain changes, but the need to connect, to contribute and to be someone’s friend does not. I want to build a place on Fidalgo Island where that need is met every single day.” — Connie Wyatt, OTR/L, Founder
Here, Members help
At most programs, people living with dementia are served. At Old Friends Club, they serve too. Members set tables, wash vegetables, stir the soup, pour drinks, water the garden, greet guests and dry the dishes, each in the way that fits them. Everyone gets a job each day, because being needed is one of the best medicines we know.
Rituals you can count on
Routine brings calm, so these happen every day, in the same way:
- The Welcome Bell. A Member rings a ship’s bell, a nod to our island’s seafaring roots, to open the day and again to close it.
- Roll call. Every friend is greeted by name. No one walks in unnoticed.
- Good News and This Day in History. A cheerful headline, a memory from the past, and plenty of conversation.
- Our opening song. The same nostalgic song every morning, Lean on Me by Bill Withers sung together with gentle seated stretches.
- The jobs board. Bell ringer, greeter, table setter, plant waterer, song leader, dish dryer. Each Member has a role.
- Closing circle. Each friend shares one good thing from the day as able, we sing our closing song, Show Me The Way To Go Home by Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly, and the bell rings us home.
The rhythm of the day
The Club is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 AM to 3 PM.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 9:50–10:10 | Arrival. Members are welcomed by name at the door, with coffee, tea, and “busy hands” activities like puzzles, the newspaper or folding napkins for lunch. |
| 10:10–10:30 | Morning Gathering. The Welcome Bell, roll call, a morning snack, Good News, and our opening song with range-of-motion movement. |
| 10:30–12:00 | Morning activity. Weather permitting, a walk to visit the highland cows and the gardens. Other days: art, wood crafting, table games, discussion groups, or reminiscing over family photos as we build personal photo albums together. |
| 12:00–1:00 | Lunch together. Members help prepare, set the table and serve. Then we sit down and enjoy a relaxed meal with friends, with soft music in the background. |
| 1:00–2:45 | Afternoon guests. A volunteer group or community partner leads the activity (see the weekly rhythm below). |
| 2:45–3:00 | Closing circle. One good thing, our closing song, and the bell. Then goodbyes to friends until next time. |
All day long, our trained team helps with restroom breaks, makes sure everyone is drinking water, offers help at mealtimes, and has a quiet spot ready for anyone who needs a rest.
The weekly rhythm: afternoon guests
The afternoon is when our community comes to us. The structure stays the same, while the guests change from week to week.
| Day | Afternoon theme | Who might join us |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Music and movement | Ukulele players from the Anacortes Senior Center, local singers and musicians, chair dancing and real dancing |
| Tuesday | Little friends | Students from Anacortes schools, 5 to 10 at a time, rotating each week |
| Wednesday | Move and thrive | One-on-one movement and engagement with an occupational or physical therapist, plus gardening or wood crafting |
And sprinkled throughout the month: therapy animals, cooking and baking, garden club volunteers, local artists and woodworkers, storytellers, and the occasional classic movie with popcorn on a stormy afternoon.
Generations together
Few things brighten a room like children. We’re inviting students from Anacortes High School, Anacortes Middle School, Fidalgo, Island View and Mt. Erie elementary schools, Anacortes Christian School, San Juan Montessori and Fiddlehead to visit in small groups once a week. Members read with them, play games, garden, sing and share stories from “back in my day.” The kids learn that dementia isn’t scary, and our Members get to be the grown-ups again.
Activities Members may enjoy
Giving back: care packages for neighbors in need, cards for veterans, pen pals with other Clubs
Outdoors: garden walks, visiting the highland cows, planting and tending our garden
Hands at work: wood crafting, cooking and baking, folding, sorting, setting the table
Creative: painting, collage, clay, rock painting, music and singing
Memory and conversation: photo albums, reminiscing, trivia, advice-column discussions, poetry
Movement: chair yoga, balloon volleyball, beanbag toss, bowling, dancing
