The Respite for All Whirlwind 2026 brought together Respite communities from 15 states for a jam-packed 72 hours of education and inspiration. We opened on Sunday, March 1, with check-in and welcomes, then moved into a stellar keynote, where Kaylie Glenn told us about Memory Silent Disco — and using headphones to connect with musical memories.
Monday was a full day that included an avalanche of activity ideas. Plus, Loretta Woodward Veney, the Lego Lady, provided inspiration and actionable tools for connecting with individuals living with dementia. The day kept going with dementia education, director roundtable, and a vigorous drum circle. We learned about Zinnia TV and heard a wonderful talk from keynote Jack York, producer of our documentary.
On Tuesday, we heard about caregiver support and enjoyed a session with Poem Renovation developer Kelly de la Rocha, who told us about her creative program to rearrange words from poems and lyrics. We also learned other activity ideas for respite communities and enjoyed a fun movement session.
We are so thankful to Asbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and Anchor Community Respite for working so hard to make our 230 attendees feel so welcome.
We can’t wait till next year! In the meantime enjoy this highlight reel from our time together:
Highlights from Whirlwind 2026