Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kristen Miller. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kristen , appreciate you joining us today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

I founded a non-profit organization, Memory Makers of the Midsouth, that provides free programs for those with dementia and their caregivers called the Memory Cafe. We have 9 Memory Cafes that each meet monthly, so that is 9 times per month I get a first-hand look at the effect our program has on our participants. It’s very heartwarming to see them laughing and sharing stories, doing art projects, etc. without worrying if they’ll say or do the wrong thing. At our November Memory Cafes our topic of discussion was Thanksgiving, and we did a group project of making a “gratitude quilt” that included all the things we were thankful for. So many of the participants said they were thankful just to be alive, and thankful for the love of their families. One could easily make the assumption that living with a permanent, progressive brain disease wouldn’t be worthy of thankfulness; but our participants proved that even though the body may fail and the mind grow dim, there is always something to be thankful for.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have worked in geriatrics for about 16 years and I have a heart, as well as a deep knowledge base, for dementia. I came across the Memory Cafe concept (which was started by Dr. Bere Miesen in 1997 in the Netherlands), and immediately felt that it was something sorely needed here in Memphis. The Memory Cafe combines socialization, peer support, connection to local resources, education, and a chance for those with dementia and their caregivers to “leave the diagnosis at the door” and enjoy being together. I tried for over a year to convince other people in Memphis to start one, but kept hearing things like “we don’t have the staff or the budget to do that”. I decided to pilot the program at my local library, and within the first 8 months, I was running 3 of them. I knew that there was a need and a capacity for so much more, so I started Memory Makers of the Midsouth as a nonprofit in order to grow and sustain the program. We now have 9 Memory Cafes and are working towards a goal of having 20 of them to serve this region.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

I don’t know that I chose my profession so much as it chose me. I never had any intention of being a social worker; I had a major in Sociology with a double minor in Criminal Justice and Military Science and felt I was headed for a career in law enforcement. Looking back now, I realize that I ended up where I am now because I have a passion for helping others overcome struggles and a talent for understanding what resources are available, how to use them, and how to connect people to them. I’ve learned that no experience I’ve ever had has been wasted because each one taught me skills that I’ve continued to carry forward and I now have a unique skill set that no one else has.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

In Memphis we use the term “grit and grind” in place of perseverance. It’s an attitude that speaks of never giving up even when the odds are against you, and to dig deep when you feel like you want to give up. That willingness to keep pushing through is the difference between just getting by and living up to your full potential. A second thing is integrity- staying true to your word, following through, and making the right decisions even when there’s no personal benefit. Memphis is very relational when it comes to business and we only work with those we know and trust, so in order to build trust and thereby build your reputation, you have to walk and work with integrity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.memorymakersmidsouth.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095249851970

Image Credits

Headshot provided by Linda White Photography