A photo-based game without rules developed for people living with dementia and those who love & care for them.
Birds
This set of cards is all about birds–big birds, small birds, colorful birds, song birds, and birds in flight! Vermont photographer Peter Riley shared his talent with us, providing a variety of amazing bird photographs for our cards.
Car Show
British photographer Paul Hildreth captures what it feels like to be at a car show. Colorful, vivid photos of familiar and maybe a few unfamiliar cars from America and around the world. Sure to spark memories and conversations!
(engage)
(connect)
(discover)
In Latin, hodie (pronounced ho-dee-ay) means “this day,” which is what (ho-dee-ay) is all about: enjoying the time we have together at this moment.
What is (ho-dee-ay)?
(ho-dee-ay) is a card game without rules. Each set has a specific theme with 20+ pairs of square photo cards. The photos–each set taken by a single photographer-are clear, bright, and colorful, and the cards are durable and easy to handle. To see the photos and read about the photographers, see the (birds) and (car show) pages in the menu above.
While there are no rules to (ho-dee-ay), each set comes with an insert that has suggested activities: cards can be matched, stacked, organized, clumped, sequenced, and sorted; stories can be told, memories can be shared, and knowledge can be passed along. Most importantly, those playing can make up their own rules!
Who is (ho-dee-ay)?
We are two friends who spent years alongside loved ones living with different forms of dementia. During these years, we strived to engage actively with our family members despite the cognitive challenges caused by their changing conditions. Whether we were looking for new ways to connect ourselves, or for ways visitors could connect with our loved ones, we struggled to find simple, dignified, and fun activities.
So we set out to create what we had been looking for: a simple, interactive, fun activity designed to improve the quality of engagement between people living with cognitive impairments and their loved ones, carers, or healthcare providers.
We put (ho-dee-ay) in parentheses as a reminder that moments of connection and joy are possible and important, even within times of challenge. We hope that (ho-dee-ay) encourages these moments in the parentheses between what was and what will be.
I just want to thank you for your wonderful product, At first, I didn’t get it. Just do whatever with the cards with no rules? It seemed too simple. But in fact, it is perfect. My mom loved it. She had the most fun matching up the pairs. It made her feel good about herself. She felt smart. We laughed. She loved the pictures. She sat for an hour matching, stacking, and sorting with little prompts from us. You deliver exactly what’s promised: a little moment of grace and joy between what was and what’s coming. We so needed it. -Lisa, White River Junction, VT
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About Us
We are Deb Emerson and Emily Rinkema, two Vermont women who are both very, very funny people…particularly over texts. This is our first business endeavor.
Get In Touch
- emerlycards@gmail.com
Support
If you would like to support causes we care deeply about and that support living all lives to the fullest, please donate to the Davis Phinney Foundation, the Lewy Body Dementia Foundation, or Dementia Friends USA