By Kelly de la Rocha, founder of poem RENOVATION I came to the United Church Homes Entrepreneur in Residence program with carefully-cut-out word blocks and a whole lot of questions. I left with knowledge that will pave my path forward. I’m Kelly de la Rocha, a poet, journalist and founder of poem RENOVATION, an arts-based […]
Meet Wanda
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Wanda has a smile at least a mile wide. A community member at The Pines United Church Homes assisted living community, she adds brightness to every gathering. I felt lucky to have her attend all three of the poem RENOVATION workshops I held while there as an entrepreneur in residence. During one workshop, she chose […]
Meet Mable
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Mable’s hand shook when she tried to move the poem RENOVATION word blocks around on the table. She struggles to keep her head up straight, so it was difficult to read the words, too. But once she teamed up with Kelly de la Rocha, poem RENOVATION’S founder, collaborative wordplay led to levity. They rearranged the […]
Meet Marlene
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Marlene, a member of a memory care community in Marietta, Ohio, spends much of her time sleeping and doesn’t often participate in group activities. The staff was delighted when she decided to try poem RENOVATION. Rev. Patricia Vargas, the community’s chaplain, said she has never seen Marlene more engaged than she was while participating in […]
Whether you’re an educator or an elder care professional, poem RENOVATION makes it easy and fun to bring poetry to life this April. We’ve put together engaging activities for older adults—including those with memory challenges—and exciting classroom ideas to inspire students. Plus, every day this month, poemRENOVATION.com will feature passages centered on hope and rebirth, […]
When disasters strike, they disrupt lives far beyond physical damage. For survivors of California’s wildfires, recovery is both a physical and emotional journey. poem RENOVATION has developed a free program to help survivors heal and express themselves through creativity. Suitable for individuals, groups, and classrooms, the program features curated passages and writing prompts that explore […]
poem RENOVATION’s founder, Kelly de la Rocha, will run a hands-on workshop Monday, Feb. 10, at the Ohio Health Care Association’s Activities and Life Enrichment Conference in Columbus, Ohio. The annual professional development conference provides activity directors, caregivers and leaders in elder care with educational sessions and networking opportunities to learn best practices for enhancing […]