Category: Archive

JC presented “What My Grandma Means to Say” over 100 students from grades 3 and 4 at Bayview Public School in Ottawa on November 9,2011. After reading from the book and explaining how she adapted the play into story form, JC welcomed questions that covered aspects of Alzheimer’s disease as well as the process of writing she uses. Student participation was great and the questions very thoughtful. She enjoyed her first visit to the school thoroughly.

On November 10, JC returned to Hopewell Avenue Public School and met 200 students from grades 3-7 who were crammed into the Library. This enthusiastic group was interested in talking about writing. Several students encouraged JC to write  a series which could address other diseases. When she asked which ones, they came up with a strong list: diabetes, cancer, ALS and polio were raised.  JC explained to the students how she had launched her first book for children, “Annabella and The TyCoon” in their library thirteen years ago and that the book raised over $2000 for the music program at the school. She also told them that the poem which she wrote which has gone through the most number of drafts was based on an experience she had leading a workshop for Hopewell students during with she met Alice Erwin, an amazing young woman who touched her deeply. “Beholder” is probably my favourite poem,” JC admitted. When asked which of her six books for children she likes the best, she suggested that the question was rather like asking a mother which of her children she likes best. Impossible to answer.

Check out this brand-new website for Grandparents that profiles “What My Grandma Means to Say” and reprints JC’s article from City Parent (Toronto). http://thegrandparentsguide.com/tag/alzheimers/

It’s great that talking with kids about Alzheimer’s is featured there. Hope that families who could use the book  learn about it  this way.

In a special supplement on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, the Vancouver Province gave my article today a place of prominence. Check it out: http://www.theprovince.com/health/Essay+Children+need+brought+into+Alzheimer+conversation/5472978/story.html

The Line-a-day Poetry Project began in October 2010, on this site under the “for Mature Readers” tab. JC imagined the challenge as an opportunity to distill into one line some element from her daily experience.  It was both surprising and not to her that the project took a different road than she had foreseen. Instead of lines of free verse linked to one another, at least in chronology if in no other way, stanzas emerged. First haiku; then tanka forms dominated. JC often used the repetition of a word or related subject matter from one stanza to another to enable the flow of her ideas.

While, JC admits she  found herself impatient, at times, for this commitment to write for a year to end, the anniversary date passed without her notice. When she realized the year was over, instead of sighing with relief, she felt regret. So she has decided to continue the process for another year without any preconceived notion of whether the lines will follow the pattern set to date or not.

JC welcomes comments on the Line-a-day Project on this site.

Here’s the link to the special ’roundtable’ event  which was presented with Mother Tongue Books as part of this autumn’s edition of the Ottawa International Writers Festival. http://www.writersfestival.org/events/what-my-grandma-means-to-say-with-jc-sulzenko.

The downpour-afternoon did not dampen enthusiasm for this topic. The conversation was wide-ranging. It went beyond a focus on how families develop ways in which to support each other and the person they know who is living with dementia.  The importance of music and visual art for people living with Alzheimer’s, new treatments and research, and personal experiences also were raised.

Thanks to Laura and Evelyn at the bookstore and to Caitlin Brydges from The Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County for their contributions to the event.

The Festival will also sponsor JC’s visits to a number of area schools in early November.

Here is the link to an excellent article from Prince Edward Collegiate Institute writers about “What My Grandma Means to Say,” the play, which was performed for 8-12 year-olds at three County elementary schools on October 5. The troup travelled to three more schools on October 6.

With the guidance of PECI head of drama and native studies,  Matt Sheahan, students from that high school take on the roles of Jake, Grandma, Jake`s mother and the nurse for the ten-minute play, which kick-starts a discussion about Alzheimer`s disease.

This initiative represents an innovative community partnership between the school and the Alzheimer Society of Prince Edward County. It gives effect to JC`s vision to have senior students perform for younger ones so that both groups can grow their understanding about dementia and develop strategies to support someone they know who may be living with it. http://countylive.ca/blog/?p=18033&cpage=1#comment-28719

For PECI website coverage, go to http://edu.hpedsb.on.ca/peci/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=664:drama-presentation&catid=38:news&Itemid=225

Rabbi Bulka interviewed JC for an hour-long segment of his Sunday night talk show. Here’s the link to listen in on their conversation about “What My Grandma Means to Say”. On the target page, select the September 18 show.

Rabbi Bulka with JC Sulzenko

A three-page feature on “What My Grandma Means to Say” appears in the fall issue of Healthwise Ottawa, “Your local guide to improved health and well-being.” The story traces how “What My Grandma Means to Say” developed from a play into a storybook for children and families in which someone is living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia and overtook JC’s writing life.

Healthwise is delivered to home subscribers of the Ottawa Citizen in selected areas. 40,000 copies of each issue are published.#Alzheimers healthwiseottawa.ca/wp-content/upl…

On Monday, September 12 from 4:00-5:30 p.m., the Glebe Centre hosted a sumptuous High Tea to introduce area educators and health care professionals to “What My Grandma Means to Say,” the storybook and the play for children and families about Alzheimer’s disease.  Those attending the event had the opportunity to see first hand how “What My Grandma Means to Say”  (in both drama and storybook forms) enables children and families in which someone is living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia to discuss how to handle the challenges such conditions pose. Over forty professionals attended the tea at which representatives of The Glebe Centre and the Alzheimer Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County spoke about the use of the material in their work and at which JC Sulzenko gave a dramatic reading of the play.

Here are some of what Resource Links writes for schools and libraries about the book in a recent on-line issue : “Through the first person narrative, Sulzenko draws us into Jake’s inner journey. This book would serve as an excellent stepping-off point for discussions about dementia as a health issue that affects families.”