Gail Borden Public Library’s primary efforts are directed towards persons living with any form of dementia in our service area of 65 square miles. This includes those living at home, those attending adult day-care programs and those living in memory care facilities. Their care partners are our indirect clients.
While spearheaded by library staff, the Tales & Travel Memories program can be conducted on a routine basis by trained volunteers once the program is established at a memory care facility. Partnerships have been created with the activity directors at 11 local memory care facilities. On programming days, their staff assemble the participants and assist the library volunteers with logistics.
Each one-hour program takes participants on an imaginary trip to another country or region of the United States. The program encourages oral reading, browsing through highly illustrated books, and conversation. A folk tale or myth from the destination is selected so residents may take turns reading the story out loud. They also take turns reading five interesting facts about the location. Participants then browse through richly illustrated books about the country/region. These books are chosen from the library’s own collection and include selected children’s titles. Music, realia, and even food are sometimes incorporated into the experience. Conversation is encouraged and residents often comment on an exotic picture or interesting fact. As the number of facilities wanting the program increased to 11, we changed from a monthly to a bi-monthly schedule to accommodate everyone.
Due to some grant funding, the Gail Borden Public Library has been able to develop a Tales & Travel Memories website - http://talesandtravelmemories.com/. The website includes a toolkit with 12 “Excursion Guides” and 31 folktales that can be freely used through a Creative Commons license. A video of the program in action is also available at this site. We encourage interested librarians to replicate this program, adapting it for use in their own communities.
These programs are currently being conducted on location at 11 local memory care facilities. Circulating kits have recently been created so that individuals living at home can participate with assistance from their care partners. These kits could also be utilized by other organizations, such as adult day care or faith based programs. Tales & Travel could be adapted for use as an in-library program for those in the early to middle stages of the disease, perhaps in an informal Alzheimer’s Café format.
The Gail Borden Public Library is offering this program on an on-going basis. We piloted the program at three memory care communities in 2011 and it has now expanded to 11 facilities.
It is our belief that persons living with dementia can still participate and benefit from book and reading activities. A research study funded by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine/Greater Midwest Region has demonstrated that positive cognitive and social benefits result from participating in the Tales & Travel Memories program. We are hoping to publish these results in the near future. Every month, we receive clear evidence of the success of the program as we see how participants become engaged in the stories, books and social interactions. Their participation, smiles and thanks are proof that librarians can make a difference in their lives!
For more information, please contact:
Tracey Degnan, tdegnan@gailborden.info, 847-289-5848
Library: Gail Borden Public Library District, 270 N Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
http://talesandtravelmemories.com/
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