The Adult Day Center located on the Minnesota Veterans Home – Minneapolis Campus was recently awarded an Innovation Award in Aging Services for their Operation Sight and Sound program. The Quality and Innovation Awards recognize and showcase exceptional progress in aging services, serving as a platform to share promising programs and new ideas with other Leading Age Minnesota members to help advance and transform the way they serve older adults.

Operation Sight and Sound is an innovative program that brings together Veterans, ranging from WWII to Vietnam eras, on a mission of artistic discovery in songwriting, photography and performance. The project encourages self-expression, recognition and service by each Veteran on topics that personally interest them.  The Adult Day Center has been working on this program the last two years with musician and songwriter Charlie Maguire.  Operation Sight and Sound gives participants, many who have dementia or other serious health diagnoses, an opportunity to express their feelings about their world, continue to serve others, and feel validated for contributing. This program demonstrates the mission the Minnesota Veterans Home - to serve those who proudly served.

“Operation Sight and Sound gave participants a sense of purpose and increased self-confidence. The families of our Veterans continue to comment on the positive impact the program has had on their loved ones,” Jodi Kritzeck, Recreation Therapist, Minnesota Veterans Home Adult Day Center.

Over the course of a few months, Veterans participated in group songwriting and photography sessions to help them communicate their stories. The photos were made into a flag as a movable art gallery. The songs and flag were then taken on the road to various locations, including a live performance at the Minnesota State Fair. In the end, more than 500 people over the course of three months viewed the movable art gallery of Veterans’ stories.