Every 66 seconds, someone in theUnited States develops Alzheimer’s disease. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and one in three seniors will die with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. The statistics are sobering but especially so in New England which is home to five of the oldest states by population in the United States.

In 2015 Good Shepherd Lutheran leadership noted the reality of living in an aging community within the oldest state in America: the majority of member deaths in recent years had been associated with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Many current members have Alzheimer’s disease or have a family member living with the disease or have friends who are caregivers for family members with dementia. Knowing that 26,000 Mainers are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, Good Shepherd formed a team to participate in The Longest Day and the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. These projects raised over $6,000 for the Maine Alzheimer’s Association, but the congregation wanted to do more and thus the Fiddle Box Project was born.

One of the common symptoms of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is restless hands, yet therapeutic tools to creatively address restless hands cost $80-$120 per device: a price tag well beyond the means of local nursing homes and residential care facilities. While looking at photographs of the wooden “fiddle boxes” Robert Suckow said, “I can build those.” Soon Robert created blueprints, enlisted the help of David Engler and Sandy Schmidt and put out a call to the congregation to search their garages and junk drawers for appealing knobs, latches, bits of hardware and fun items to be transformed into the contents of the boxes.

Each box has five doors. Each door has a different type of latch and hinge. Inside each door is an object chosen for sensory stimulation: hardware, locks, keys and other mechanical objects for boxes designed for men or fabric swatches, spoons, jewelry and mirrors for boxes designed for women. “The fun part is creating the toys,” says Suckow. “I like to think of what would be interesting but safe for people to fiddle with.” To date the team has built 38 boxes and delivered them to care centers throughout the MidCoast Maine region as well as the Togus Veteran’s Care Center for Alzheimer’s patients in Augusta, Maine.

Alzheimer’s disease affects every community, and Robert Suckow has already begun sharing his fiddle box plans via e-mail with people living in other states. If you are interested in building boxes for a loved one or for a care facility in your region, contact Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for more information. The email address is gslc@myfairpoint.net or you may write to the church at 330 Maine Street, Brunswick ME 04011. The fiddle box plans and photos will be posted to the church’s website in the near future: goodshepherdme.org.