Author: Ally Burch
Located in: Colorado, USA
Submitted: November 19, 2019
Tell us a little about yourself. I am a survivor. I am an Occupational Therapist. I am a child of God. And dementia...it's what God used to bring me deep and lasting healing from the wounds of childhood and a failed marriage. Unbelievable...God used dementia...my work with folks living with dementia. It's just like God to use such an unexpected and miraculous method to redeem a life, redeem a heart.
What was your motivation behind this project? In my work with folks living with dementia (dementia done well, done right, via dementia-friendly, dementia-aware ways), I began to notice that the hyperaware, hypervigilant parts of my brain's day-to-day began to blur as I spent time in-the-moment, in the beautiful moments, with folks whose brain's function was narrowing to being in the moment. And I came to know redemption of my life, redemption of my heart, because the God in whom I believe was bringing me the gift of healing my mind, healing my heart, while I got to love well my friends with dementia. Only God...
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? God brings healing and redemption for those who will walk with Him through the hard stuff of life. And He so often uses remarkable, simple yet profound, miraculous God-like ways to bring this healing and redemption. For me, it came in large waves as I worked with the folks living with dementia; folks who while losing the ability to use their minds well, still had rich emotional parts within their soul that needed someone like me to love them well.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? It was God who paved the way for me to write this book. And while I wrote, it was God who brought additional healing. Deep breath. He is a faithful, kind God.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? I learned so much from watching my family. And from seeing how my Nebraska grandparents lived. I've gained so much from the lovely girlfriends God has brought into my life. And favorite authors....where do I begin? Victor Frankl, John Townsend, Dr. Paul Kalanithi, John Trent, and Judy Cornish.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: There is hope in walking with God, and there is hope in dementia.
