Q & A with Maureen Matthews, RN, PHD, Founder How did To Whom I May Concern get started?  I had an opportunity many years ago to read the diary of a woman who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.  She wrote about taking her dog to an obedience class and finding that she was the one who couldn't follow the commands.  She was embarrassed and, though she had considered herself an intelligent woman, she felt stupid.  In this story, told with great humor, she provided an "inside" view of what living with dementia meant.  The burden of awareness was eroding her self confidence and identity.  This "aha" moment changed my focus as a health care provider.  People with dementia need a chance to tell their stories and care providers need to listen.  The seeds of To Whom I May Concern were planted!  Who participates in the project? To Whom I May Concern is a creative tool designed for men and women during the early stage of the illness when awareness is strong and ability to communicate allows for connection with others.  Today people are being diagnosed earlier in the illness.   Among other things, early awareness means people with dementia, whether they are in their 40's or 90's, have more time to think about what this means for them both now and in the future. This is a burden that To Whom I May Concern  tries  to support.
Any performances thus far? To Whom I May Concern has played to audiences in New York City (2006), Queens (2007), Long Island (2007), Rockland and Westchester Counties (2008).  Four different groups of people with early stage dementia participated in the project.  Their scripts reflected their unique stories and were well received by audiences of their peers, friends, families, and professionals.  One newspaper review described the performance as "Breaking the Fourth Wall".  Can we do this in our local community? Yes!  To Whom I May Concern  can be created with a local early stage support group or any other gathering of people with early memory loss.  A performance can be staged wherever there are enough chairs for an audience.  A performance can also be part of an educational conference.
Photo by Cat Cutillo	Photo by Cat Cutillo
For more information, please contact me at info@towhomimayconcern.org.   I look forward to hearing from you and helping you plan your own version of To Whom I May Concern.