Master Practitioner Hrefna Brynja Jísladóttir
2010 Master Practitioner Hrefna talks about her Spark of Life journey:
'I had the opportunity in 2008 to attend a one-day Spark of Life presentation with Jane (Verity) in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. To me it was a life changing event. I sat there with tears in my eyes thinking, 'Is it really possible to make such a difference in someones life? If that is the case I would like to dedicate my life to be a part of this.' From that day on I started to prepare to work more with people with dementia. I read about Spark of Life both on the internet and Jane’s book about rekindling the spark in the lives of people with dementia.
My mind was set on attending a 3-day course in Denmark, which I did in October, 2009.
My executives had already met Jane when we attended a 3-day course on The Eden Alternative Philosophy in Denmark, 2006. I kept informing them about the Spark of Life and about my interest to implement it along with the Eden Alternative because as Jane says, the Spark of Life fits so beautifully hand-in-hand with the essence of both the Eden Alternative and Person Centred Care. I saw in Jane’s presentation how the Spark of Life is a wonderful way to put in practice the essence of both approaches at a detailed personal level.
When I came home from the course in Denmark, I immediately started to work on the Spark of Life Club Program. At that time there was a serious financial collapse in Iceland with cutbacks everywere. The Homes for the Edlerly in Akureyri where I work suffered badly as did other organisations in Iceland. We didn’t have any extra money to buy the (Spark of Life Club Program) starter kit but we had been so lucky to buy the dvd’s on the Club Program earlier.
In January 2010, I started The Sunshine Club, which has been successful and given a lot of joy and pleasure to both the participants and the facilitators. Also many of the staff have complimented us on this and talked about how wonderful it is to see the residents come smiling and even singing from the Sunshine Club.
I had heard about the International Masters Practitioner Course in Perth but it was impossible for me to even begin to think about such a thing in the middle of the financial crisis in my country. But then I got this wonderful opportunity to apply and was granted a scholarship from Dementia Foundation for Spark of Life on the grounds that I could finance the airfare and accommodation myself. I wrote letters to many organisations and foundations telling about the need for the Spark of Life in Iceland and introducing what lies behind this philosophy. Many of those I wrote to offered me financial support so a year later I was able to emabark on a trip half way round the world to Perth to attend the Masters Practitioner Course.
Getting to know the Spark of Life and the people behind it was a life-changing event for me. That goes too for the Master Course, which was wonderfully orchestrated with outstanding teaching. The time at the course was very inspiring for me. I met wonderful people from different places and cultures around the world who all had the same desire to make a difference in the lives of people with dementia. It was like the group had one heart and one soul. I learned a lot of wisdom those three-weeks, a wisdom so deep but yet simple enough for everyone to understand, even people with dementia. What a privilege! For me, the Spark of Life has become a beautiful frame around everything I have learned and everything I have valued as a person, as an Occupational Therapist and a Licenced Practical Nurse.
The Spark of Life has not only made a difference in my life but it has made a difference in the lives of people with dementia where I live and work. I could tell you many wonderful stories about how the members of the Sunshine Clubs have come out of their shell, told stories, sung songs, danced and shown all kinds of physical and emotional expressions that have really touched my heart and soul. One of the most recent examples is a lady with very advanced dementia who suddenly joined us in clapping hands while we were singing and gave us a smile that reached to her eyes.'
**Please note that due to Australian Taxation Office requirements at this point in time we are only able to offer sponsorships to Australian residents. We hope that international sponsorships may again be available in the near future.
(Participants in the Club Program, Ingólfur (L) and Della (R)
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