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James Creasey,
Founder of Jiminy Wicket
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James Creasey was born in Sidcup, England and moved to the United States in 1975. Until three years ago, he ran a Denver-based asset for a $10 billion New York pension fund. Since then, he has devoted his life to Jiminy Wicket, and with his brother, Andrew, is creating collaborations between companies, croquet clubs and Alzheimer’s Associations around the world to improve the lives of people living with dementia. He also is an American Sailing Association Instructor, and he lives each day with playfulness, compassion, gratitude and generosity.
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Maxwell Creasey,
Husband of 63 years, father to six children, grandfather to 13 |
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In October 2007, James Creasey received news that his 84-year-old father, Maxwell, had suffered a stroke. He was later diagnosed with vascular dementia.
In his professional life, Maxwell was an international businessman with friendships on four continents and had a remarkable ability to remember names and personal details about friends, business contacts and acquaintances. Dementia gradually stole his memory, capacities and finally his speech. As conversation became more difficult, James and his family would wonder, “What are we going to do with Dad, day after day? What will we do with him in those long silences?”
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One day after breakfast, James invited his father to play on a cliff-top croquet lawn with spectacular views of the English countryside. Maxwell played a masterful game, and James beamed with joy. Soon, other family members reported that they, too, now had something to do with Maxwell besides sitting with him in awkward, prolonged silences. They were happily playing croquet together.
Even as Maxwell’s health deteriorated, his ability to play croquet did not. He silently greeted friends and family at the front door and ushered them to the back lawn. With a smile, he handed them a mallet for a game.
Maxwell passed away September 21, 2009. Since then, James and his brother Andrew have been teaching people around the world how to use croquet as a way to connect and have fun with people living with dementia.
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What people are saying:
“My shoulders sank and I began the long walk down the garden to retrieve my ball. Then Grandpa did something which made me realize his competitive edge and humor were still with him. As I walked past him, we smiled at one another, he waved at me and said, ‘Cheerio!’ We both laughed and carried on.”
– Tom, grandson, London
“I watched my Dad come back, just a little, each time we played.”
– Kate, daughter, Sevenoaks, England
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