Strathcona County Library is pleased to offer a new item in its collection: Memory Kits. Now you can borrow these carefully curated totes of items meant to stimulate memories and inspire conversation between caregivers and those living with dementia and memory loss. Seven different kits are based around a theme and contain items such as photos, activity cards, conversation starters, games, classic movies, music, and a book or two.
Why Memory Kits?
For people living with dementia, memories are treasures. Memories are our identities. It is a frustrating, confusing, and terrifying experience to feel yourself losing your memories and your sense of self. It is also an isolating and scary experience to watch a loved one lose themselves, and caregivers and loved ones are often left feeling helpless, wondering what they can do and not knowing how to connect with their loved one.
For people living with dementia, sharing stories of their life reconnects them to their own identity and to their loved ones. But their loved ones may not know what to talk about, or what activities they can do together. That's where Memory Kits come in.
Memory Kits are designed to facilitate connection and share stories. They are designed to be used by people living with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, or other memory issue (primarily seniors) along with their caregivers and loved ones.
How Do I Borrow Them?
You can find the Memory Kits in the Large Print area of the library at the end of the Fiction collection (main floor). If you'd like to reserve one ahead of time, you can search for them in our online catalogue under "Memory Kits" (or see list below) and place a hold like you would for any item. Kits can be picked up at the Central Library or the Bookmobile.
You may borrow a kit for three weeks and renew it twice if no one else is waiting for it.
Please return kits to the Check Out Desk or the staff at the Bookmobile (they are too big to fit through our return slot).
We hope you enjoy these new kits and find them helpful!
