Known as MemoryVille, the area is made up of different types of buildings and homes that could be found locally and in people’s hometowns, with the purpose of helping residents remember certain things such as mailing a letter or visiting a library or church.

The idea came from Karen Olson because of her father, Emory — a long-time resident of Heritage Village who passed away in 2016.

“I decided after my dad passed to donate to Heritage Village in honor of him because my sisters and I were very thankful for the care he received there,” Olson said. “I had the concept to do something for the family members who came to visit residents with dementia in the East Wing. I would see when I came to visit my dad some had few visitors or hardly any and I wanted to find a way for residents and families to interact and stay longer.”

Olson said she brainstormed with the development director at the time and came up with the idea of the hallway designed and built like a village. The design was simple and meant for buildings people would recognize and have memories of and be able to access.

Karen Olson at the opening of MemoryVille on Veteran’s Day.

MemoryVille is open and available to all memory care residents in their section of Heritage Village. Families can come in and see it with the help of staff members during main hours. Residents can come and see whenever they wish.

“It is a community space in the care facility for them to use as they want,” Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Heritage, Kerstin Wyman said. “It is meant to engage their attention and to be an extra activity for those with dementia care.”

After the concept was established, Olson said the next challenge was coming up with how to do it. The first idea was paint, but then after getting in contact with a local art teacher, Olson and Heritage staff were able to have some art students make large scale print buildings out of vinyl to put along the walls instead. This way, it can also be interactive and allow residents to move items around or to do things such as ring church bells and hear music. Olson said everything was all set in February 2020 and then Covid hit and everything had to pause, and is just getting back on track now.

MemoryVille’s grand unveiling took place on Nov. 11, which was not only Veteran’s Day but also Olson’s father’s birthday. Olson said the unveiling was simple, with a few family members, staff and some veterans, and a ribbon cutting. Olson also brought along a scrapbook and said she and her sisters and other family members had a lovely time reminiscing about her father.

“It achieves my goal to find a way of letting families interact in a fun way with their family members with dementia,” Olson said. “They can do things like move the autumn leaves around or send a letter, or ring the bells, or there’s a jewelry store with things like stretchy bracelets residents can try on because my dad owned a jewelry store. It lets them talk about the buildings and interact with them.”

Emory Olson and his partner at the old jewelry store they used to own. A similar store was made as a part of MemoryVille.

Olson added that her father was very well known in the community, not only owning the store but also as a volunteer on many committees. Sallie Williams, Vice President of Advancement, added that Olson’s father was a pillar in the community and helped to create this MemoryVille community.

“We hope in choosing pieces of Chautauqua County that can have familiarity we create a moment of connection with these families,” Williams said. “It can be simple moments of memory and we envision that it is meant to invoke familiarity.”

Williams added that MemoryVille is vibrant and full of life. Residents and staff are already starting to embrace it, and there is a seasonal component of being able to change things around such as the leaves so that it is not the same season or picture all of the time. Future plans include adding in things like a farm component with cats and dogs residents will be able to touch and pet to add in more of the rural community.

“Staff are finding ways and will continue to find ways to add things no one else has thought of,” Olson said. “It can be devastating when you lose a family member before they die. This is something positive that can come from my dad not remembering not only his family but his own life. Alzhiemers is a thief and it steals memories of not only families but people’s own lives.”

Williams and Wyman both thanked Olson for her donation and vision to make MemoryVille a real thing and a success. Wyman added that it is another step in their focus on memory care at Heritage Village, which is a huge focus point for them. Olson added that her dad was always proud to live in Jamestown and the care he received at Heritage meant a lot to the family.

Old photos of Emory Olson that Karen Olson brought with her to the unveiling. Submitted photo

MemoryVille is open and available to the public during normal Heritage Village hours. Families are asked to talk to staff members or administrators when they come to visit it, as doors are normally locked and security is a priority.