The American Library Association (ALA) notes: “Public libraries are perfectly positioned to serve people with dementia and give them the support and resources they need. Public libraries are embedded in almost every American community, offering a unique opportunity to welcome and engage the 81% of people who have dementia who are still living at home, as well as the people who care for and about them. Libraries can also actively serve and enrich the experiences of people living in memory care and other facilities. There are no barriers to access in libraries, and no stigma to walking through our doors.”
The items in this kit have been chosen for their tactile, nostalgic, and stimulating value, potentially offering therapeutic experiences or joyful recollections to those with dementia. The kit is not intended for diagnosing, assessing, or treating dementia.
Use
Library professionals may use the contents how they deem appropriate for their particular community or event, whether it be for a passive programming display, or a planned program with a group (don’t forget about caregivers and family), such as a Memory Café. Or, the items might provide inspiration to library workers and allow them to try out materials to see if they would be a good fit for the library’s own collection of things.
We hope this kit will help improve your library’s response to this population, and bring some awareness to the staff and community. As with many of our kits, it’s meant to be a starting point for further exploration.
Contents
There are four kits available for loan, each containing similar types of items in a loose theme: two on animals, one on art/music, and one on gardening/nature.
Broadly, each kit contains the following:
- Animatronic companion pet
- Manipulatives and other tactile items
- Puzzles and games
- Conversation starters
- CD player and CD
- Tongue drum
- DVDs
- Chair bingo and other activity items
- Books the library may wish to procure:
- Variety of books on dementia, caregiving, and/or library services; and
- Variety of books for patrons with memory issues.
Be sure to check the catalog for exact contents.
Additional Resources
Here is a selection of websites offering helpful guidance or free, downloadable resources/activities for people with dementia and/or their caregivers.
Informational
- Library Services for Patrons with Dementia/Alzheimer’s – American Library Association: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/diversity/services-alzheimers
- Talk About Dementia: Information and resources for professionals – Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/talk-about-dementia/information-and-resources-for-professionals
- Online Tools by the Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org/help-support/resources/online-tools
Online/Downloadable/Printable Activities
- Keeping Busy has lots of free downloadable puzzles, word searches, and activity PDFs: https://keepingbusy.com/pages/free-downloads
- Activities to Enjoy With Someone Who Has Alzheimer’s or Dementia – Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org/help-support/resources/kids/family-activities
- List of 101 Things to do with a person with Alzheimer’s and Dementia Disease: www.in.gov/health/files/101_Things_to_do_with_resident_with_dementia.pdf
- The Activities Handbook – Alzheimer’s Society UK : www.alzheimers.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-11/AS_77AC_The-Activities-Handbook.pdf
- Therapeutic Activities for 3 Main Stages of Alzheimer’s disease – Alzheimer’s Foundation of America: https://alzfdn.org/therapeutic-activities-for-3-main-stages-of-alzheimers-disease/
- Click & Go Online Activities for People with Dementia & Caregivers: Alzheimer’s and Dementia Blog: https://www.alzheimersblog.org/onlineactivities/
- Alzheimer Society Activity Kits – “These kits can be printed directly from this website, or you can call one of our local offices and request a kit be mailed to you.” https://alzda.ca/activity-kits/
- Free Dementia Activity Sheets to Stimulate Memory and Wellbeing – Memory Matters UK: https://www.memorymatters.org.uk/resources/activity-sheets
- Free Resources from the Center for Applied Research in Dementia: https://www.cen4ard.com/what/free-resources/
- Dementia Services Information and Development Centre At Home Activities: https://dementia.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Athomeactivities.pdf
Colorado Organizations
- Dementia Friendly Denver: https://www.dementiafriendlydenver.org/
- Denver Art Museum: Art & About – “Tours are designed for visitors with early-stage Alzheimer’s or dementia and their care partners. Experience and discuss art together on a tour led by a specially trained guide on the second Thursday of the month. Themes change every month.” https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/calendar/art-about
- Colorado Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org/co
- Alzheimer’s Association support groups: https://www.alz.org/co/support
- Denver Public Library is a model for Memory Cafes and organizing cultural events: https://www.denverlibrary.org/blog/amy/memory-cafes-bring-joy-people-living-memory-loss
- Denver metro community resources collated by University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center: https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/alzheimer/community/community-resources
- Alzheimer’s Impact Movement Colorado: https://alzimpact.org/Colorado