Uko Akpanuko
Daily Herald
The Wapiti Regional Library is launching a new collection of items called Reminiscing Kits that are designed for caregivers and family members of individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
The library announced on Dec. 1 that the kits were available.
“The Reminiscing Kits are meant to have objects in them that will help spark conversations and memories when working with or spending time with an individual who has Alzheimers or dementia,” Lindsay Baker, Community Services Librarian, Wapiti Regional Library said. “The objects were purchased from stores who specialise in items for individuals with dementia.”
Reminiscing Kits are backpacks filled with themed items that can be used by caregivers looking to create special moments with loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia. Caregivers can use the items to initiate conversations and ask questions, encouraging memories of past events and activities that your loved one enjoyed in their younger years.
“Each kit has a different theme and has objects and pictures and activities that go along with that theme which caregivers, family members and friends can use when interacting with individuals with Dementia or Alzheimers,” Baker said.
These kits were put together thanks to funding from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP), a federal program which provides funding for projects that make a difference in the lives of seniors and in their communities.
“We serve a community that has an aging population, I know personally from family experience that with ageing often comes memory loss as a result of Dementia or Alzhermers,” baker said. “I thought it would be a valuable thing to have available to people within our region especially those who are caregivers for people with Alzhemimers and dementia.”
The kits will be available for any patient that has needs of them but they must register with the Wapiti Regional Library. The kits can only be kept and used for a loan period of 21 days.
Kits must be returned to any branch during open hours, as they do not fit in book returns. Baker said she hopes caregivers family members and friends seize this opportunity to make use of this kits.
The kits currently available are; Favorite things: Great Outdoors, Favorite things: The Handyman, Favorite things: Farm, Favorite things: Winter, and Favorite things: Home Maker
More details about the kits can be found on the Wapiti website- wapitilibrary.ca/reminiscing
