About the Cover Artist: Art programming provides a myriad of benefits for people with dementia and their loved ones.

For over 30 years, Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama (ACA, http://alzca.org) has sought to inspire art programing in local adult day care centers. Art programming has a number of benefits: it can release trapped emotions, reduce depression, and render participants more social and relaxed. People living with dementia are often defined by their disabilities rather than by their ability to participate and create. Although they may lose the words to tell us of their experiences, their artwork gives us a record of a world of simplicity, color, and wonder.

The cover artwork which appears on this issue of Practical Neurology was a collaborative effort of people attending the South Highland Adult Care Center, a ministry of South Highland Presbyterian Church, located just blocks away from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). An average day sees the center populated by 15-20 people living with dementia at various stages. More than half of them attend the center on a scholarship provided by ACA. Although the cost of adult day care in Alabama is less than the national average, there is no financial support provided through Medicaid or government funding. Day care is simply unaffordable for the 75 people who attend day care on scholarship, of whom 60% have monthly incomes less than $1,500.

ACA is a local nonprofit whose mission is to help families living with dementia who cannot afford the most basic necessities such as continence supplies, food, and respite care. In addition to supporting the research efforts at UAB, the heart of ACA’s work is helping over 300 families every month who are struggling to care for their loved ones at home.

When COVID-19 shuttered the centers in March of 2020, ACA began offering robotic pets and weekly activity packets to those on their programs to prevent boredom and isolation. Thankfully, after a slow start, the centers are finally back to pre-pandemic levels. Throughout the pandemic, ACA continued their tradition of celebrating the adult day care centers and respite programs by publishing a calendar of artwork by people living with Alzheimer disease.. This vibrant cover artwork included in this issue of Practical Neurology also was featured on the cover of ACA’s 2023 calendar; it reminds us that people living with dementia are capable of leaving their mark upon the world throughout their dementia journey.

Day care participation provides the love and inspiration that allows people with dementia to thrive and create artwork: they reminisce while singing a familiar song; feel a zest for life when playing a game; find pain relief from a good belly laugh; feel secure because of the comradery; they are connected instead of isolated, and at peace when feeling acceptance and love. Until there is a cure, there is care!