Jill Tasker
A Columbus resident has launched a free pop-up shop for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or individuals with dementia.
Jill Tasker has created the non-profit charity Sandi’s Closet, which is delivered at memory care units, adult day care providers and the community at large. The program provides a chance for individuals with dementia to have fun shopping at no cost to them.
Sandi’s Closet was initially piloted in November of 2021 and was officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in March, Tasker said. She said that there may be more facilities that want to have a Sandi’s Closet during the holiday season, and the nonprofit wants to ensure people know about their services.
The charity is named after Tasker’s mother, Sandi Hinshaw, who lived with Alzheimer’s disease.
“When it was no longer possible for my mother to go shopping—her favorite activity, I set up a shop in my home and she had so much fun,” said Tasker in a press release. “Her happy feelings lasted for hours. I thought I would create this experience for others with dementia so they could enjoy shopping for themselves or their loved ones. It’s been wonderful to observe the reactions of joy and excitement as they make their choices.”
At Sandi’s Closet, participants can choose from a wide variety of items, such as scarves, jewelry, neckties, hats, or picture books. They then “pay” for their purchases with play money.
“The therapeutic benefits of a Sandi’s Closet event are quite extraordinary, because here is someone with diminished capacity who can participate in something that is, it’s interactive, where they get to make choices and decisions,” said Tasker. “They get to chose things that make them happy. And then even if they don’t retain that they went shopping that morning, those feelings of satisfaction and happiness continue for hours later.”
Sandi’s Closet is completely free to participants, caregivers and care facilities, and shoppers get to keep the items they pick out. The charity is funded by monetary and item donations.
Tasker said that she wants to take the program to as many facilities as possible, as she believes in the therapeutic benefits and joy it brings to participants.
“It’s genuinely the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done,” she said.
