Second Wind Dreams Celebrates 20th Anniversary

ROSWELL, Ga. - Jan. 5, 2017 - PRLog -- Second Wind Dreams® is proud to announce its twentieth year as the leader in elder dream fulfillment and dementia sensitivity training.  Second Wind Dreams has achieved two decades of success, growth, and awareness for elders and those living with dementia.  The organization will commemorate the occasion with highlights, events and educational opportunities throughout the next twelve months.  A Founder's Reception will be held on the 5^th annual National Second Wind Dreams Day taking place on September 14.

Founded in 1997 by Geriatric Specialist, P.K. Beville, Second Wind Dreams is recognized as the first in the United States to focus on enhancing the quality of life for elders and changing society's perception of aging by making elder dreams come true and creating the patented educational program, The Virtual Dementia Tour®.  Second Wind Dreams® was created to bring elders to the forefront of our society by enriching their lives and empowering them to age with dignity, hope and joy. Beville's belief is that dream fulfillment increases our understanding our elders, and plays an important role in giving them a Second Wind.

The early success of Second Wind Dreams began with Beville's bestselling novel Second Wind, a humorous look at the lives of colorful residents in a fictional nursing home.  This led to the real first dream ever fulfilled for twin 90-year old sisters living in a nursing home.  They simply wished for a Happy Hour complete with an Elvis Impersonator.  After witnessing the impact of a dream fulfilled and conducting Dream studies which showed a decrease in elder depression and an increase in elder care community staff morale, the non-profit was born.

In 2002, Beville took a bold step into the world of geriatrics by creating the internationally acclaimed Virtual Dementia Tour® (VDT®).  Experienced by over 2 million people in 17 countries, the Virtual Dementia Tour® is used as a tool to train professional and family caregivers, staff and physicians in eldercare communities, hospitals, colleges and universities, government agencies, community leaders and first responders to help develop dementia-friendly communities worldwide. Beville donated the Virtual Dementia Tour® to Second Wind Dreams as a means to continue funding the organization's award winning Dreams Program. To date, thousands of dreams have come true thanks largely to these proceeds.

Most recently, Second Wind Dreams received a civil money penalty (CMP) funds grant by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS). This three-year grant will assist skilled nursing home staff to better identify with residents in an effort to improve care.  SWD will provide hands-on experiential training in 169 certified nursing homes in the state of Georgia through the use of the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT®).

In addition, the non-profit just hosted their annual Gifts of Light program which provided Holiday gifts and visits to nursing home elders who would have otherwise received none.  Through the support of individual and corporate volunteers and donors, this program served over 1,500 elders in December 2016.

Moving forward, Second Wind Dreams will continue to fulfill dreams for elders as the non-profit's Dream membership and corporate sponsorship grows larger every year.  VDT users have developed mobile units making the patented sensitivity program more accessible and widespread.  And Second Wind Dreams recently announced that Kentucky nursing homes are now approved for the VDT® grants.

For more information about Second Wind Dreams and their programs, visit www.secondwind.org or call 678-624-0500.


About Second Wind Dreams

Second Wind Dreams® is an international, nonprofit organization committed to changing the perception of aging through the fulfillment of dreams and educational programs that help caregivers understand the physical and mental challenges facing those with Dementia.  Founded in 1997 by award-winning geriatric specialist P.K. Beville, M.S., the Atlanta-based organization is recognized as the first in the nation to focus on enhancing the quality of life for elders and changing society's perception of seniors by making dreams come true.  Affiliated with more than 1,000 elder care communities in the United States and Canada, Second Wind Dreams® has made thousands of dreams come true for seniors living in the United States, UK, Canada, Israel and other countries around the world. Experienced by over 2 million people worldwide, its innovative educational program, known as the Virtual Dementia Tour®, is a scientifically proven method of training designed to build sensitivity and awareness in individuals caring for those with Dementia.