The Gift of Purpose – Empowering Lives Affected by Memory Loss ​
Restoring Purpose. Rekindling Connection. Supporting Dignity.
The Gift of Purpose: For Individuals Living with Memory Loss and Those Who Care for Them
​Restoring Purpose. Rekindling Connection. Supporting Dignity.
​
The Dementia Populations Gift of Purpose Program is built on a simple and hopeful belief: every person, at every stage of memory loss, still has value, purpose, and something meaningful to offer.
Our work begins with Care Conversations and Dementia Care Coaching that start with listening. These conversations are grounded in a fair, person-centered assessment and are designed to guide families and caregivers toward appropriate referrals, supports, and next steps. Rather than making assumptions, we help clarify what is happening and what resources may be most helpful moving forward.
We also offer the Reality Comprehension Clock Test (RCCT) screening, which not only helps identify an individual’s current level of understanding and functioning, but can also uncover potential, previously unrecognized functional deficits. This allows care to be better matched to real needs, promoting safety, confidence, and meaningful engagement.
​
At the heart of our approach is The Gift of Purpose Activity and Life Enrichment Program. Instead of focusing on what has been lost, we focus on what remains—abilities that are still strong, stories that still matter, and the deep human need to connect and contribute. Activities are built around strengths, creating opportunities for success, dignity, and genuine interaction.
​
Whether someone is in the early stages of memory change or further along in their journey, verbal or nonverbal, there is a place for them here. Families and professionals alike find that this program does more than support cognitive health—it brings moments of joy, restores a sense of usefulness, and reminds everyone involved that purpose does not disappear with memory loss.
Because when people feel seen, valued, and needed, it changes everything.
​
Discover how the Gift of Purpose can bring more connection, meaning, and joy to those you care for.
A sample of the image they are asked to replicate.
RCCT Clocks Tell More Than Time
At first glance, a clock drawing seems simple. Most of us learned how to draw one in elementary school. But when memory loss enters the picture, a clock can quietly reveal far more than the hour of the day.
Below, you will see actual clock drawings completed by individuals living with memory loss. These individuals had strong verbal skills. They could speak clearly, hold conversations, and often sounded confident in their explanations. To family members, caregivers, and even professionals, this can create the impression that understanding is still intact.
The drawings tell a different story.
​
When Words Are Strong but Understanding Is Not​
One of the most difficult parts of memory loss is that the ability to speak well can remain long after the ability to understand, plan, and reason has begun to change. People may explain what they think they are doing, use familiar phrases, or sound certain in their answers. Yet when asked to complete a task that requires comprehension, sequencing, spatial awareness, and executive function, gaps become visible.
​
As you look at the drawings below, you may notice:
-
Numbers placed unevenly or missing entirely
-
Hands drawn incorrectly or not connected to the center
-
Confusion about spacing, order, or direction
-
Repetition or hesitation that contrasts with fluent speech
These are not artistic mistakes. They reflect changes in how the brain is processing information.
​​
Actual Replications Done By Individuals With Memory Loss
The Questions Families Are Already Asking
When these changes are subtle, families often find themselves wrestling with hard, quiet questions:
-
Is my loved one safe being home alone?
-
Can they manage bills and finances responsibly?
-
Are they making sound financial decisions?
-
Should they still be driving?
-
Can they take medications safely and correctly?
These questions are not about intelligence or effort. They are about functional understanding, and they are often difficult to answer when someone sounds confident but may not fully comprehend what they are doing.
​
Clarity Without Labels
​The RCCT does not diagnose. Instead, it provides clarity. It helps families and professionals understand what support is needed now, not based on how well someone speaks, but on how their brain is truly functioning. The actual drawings shown below offer a visual window into that reality. They help explain why something may feel “off,” even when conversations seem normal. This understanding supports better care planning, appropriate activity matching, and safer decision-making rooted in compassion rather than assumption.
​
More Than a Screening
At The Gift of Purpose, the RCCT is not used to limit people. It is used to understand them more fully. When we take time to look closely at the drawings that follow, we gain insight that allows us to respond with dignity, intention, and meaningful support.
Sometimes, the most honest story the brain tells is not spoken out loud.
Sometimes, it’s drawn!
THE GIFT OF PURPOSE PROGRAM
​
The Gift of Purpose Program includes 48 thoughtfully designed, nostalgic-themed packets, each offering a wide range of engaging activity ideas. Within these packets are drawing and puzzle activities created to do more than simply pass time. They are intentionally chosen to engage memory, comprehension, problem-solving, and executive function in ways that everyday conversation often does not. As individuals work through a drawing or puzzle, subtle changes in understanding, sequencing, and decision-making can become visible, even when verbal communication remains strong. This provides caregivers and professionals with meaningful insight into how a person is truly processing information, allowing activities, supports, and expectations to be better matched to current abilities while preserving dignity, connection, and purpose.
