The third annual YES! Care Partner Wellness Retreat was held June 7-8 at the serene Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville, MD, welcoming 22 dedicated care partners for a restorative overnight experience. Designed specifically for those caring for loved ones with young-onset dementia (YOD), the retreat offered a rare opportunity to step out of the caregiving role, slow down, and simply breathe.
Arriving often tired from the effort of arranging care back home, participants were met with warmth, understanding, and relief—free, for a moment, from the constant demands they face. Thanks to generous support from the Oluv C. Joyner Foundation via the Goldman Sachs Trust Company, the Decesaris Family Foundation, and the Merle and Herbert Hanna Foundation, the retreat was offered at no cost to attendees. This vital support makes it possible for YES! to care for the caregivers, many of whom face financial strain due to the realities of a YOD diagnosis.
“I was stressed when I arrived but got to wind down and relax. Knowing other people are in this situation is extremely helpful to my mental health.” Judi M
At the YES! Care Partner Wellness Retreat, every element is designed to gently hold space for the emotional, physical, and spiritual realities of caregiving for someone with young-onset dementia. This is not just a break but it’s a time to mend, reconnect, and release. Care partners attending mentioned the value they took from being able to be with and talk to other care partners who are dealing with similar life situations and experiences. “It was great to connect with other care partners,” said Sandeep, getting to the core of this valuable takeaway.
We began with Art Therapy, inspired by the Japanese tradition of Kintsugi—the art of repairing broken pottery with gold. In this hands-on experience, we pieced together shattered ceramic bowls, each fracture a reflection of the invisible weight we carry: the grief of loss, the weariness of daily care, the frustrations and fears. And yet, each golden seam we painted was a tribute to the love, strength, and resilience that holds us together. Through this quiet act of creation, we honored not only what has broken but what continues to shine in its aftermath.
Later, we moved into our bodies through Grief Yoga, a gentle practice open to all. Here, breath, movement, and sound helped us release the tension, sadness, even joy that we stored inside. It was a space of surrender, not effort. We didn’t need to perform, and only needed to show up, breathe, and be.
An improv group then took stories shared by participants, and turned them into poignant and hilarious vignettes, to which care partners reacted with both laughter and tears. This proved to be just as meaningful as during the previous year’s improv performance, which validates the absurdity of certain situations into which care partners can be thrown by a brain disease like YOD.
In the afternoon, a team of compassionate healers offered mini-sessions of Massage, Reiki, and Acupuncture/Acupressure, which provided a chance to be physically held and restored. These moments were not only about relaxation but about the care partner receiving care in return for all they give.
As the sun set, we gathered around a bonfire for a “Letting Go” Ceremony. In this sacred space, participants were invited to
reflect on what no longer served them—burdens, expectations, or emotions too heavy to hold. By symbolically releasing them to the flames, we made room for peace, strength, and a renewed sense of self.
On Sunday morning before saying goodbye, the group set off on a mindfulness nature walk to ground themselves in nature and spend time as a group before going back to their loved one with just a little bit more patience and bandwidth, knowing they are not alone in this journey.
“I can’t stop thinking about how wonderful the retreat was. I feel transformed, more at peace, and confident going forward. Can’t thank you enough. One of the best experiences of my life despite the shitty reason that brought us together” Theresa B.
This retreat is more than rest. It is a journey through healing, expression, and connection. A time to remember that you, too, matter. YOD care partner retreats are a lifeline, fostering connection, growth, and emotional healing for caregivers.
“I was able to come up with some really good self-care strategies and personal insights as a result of one-on-one discussions I had with fellow caregivers.” Paul S
