Sitting in the doctor's office yesterday, I picked up the latest edition of Caregiver's Magazine. In it was a short article on the Alzheimer's Poetry Project: Sparking Memories With Poetry.
"The Alzheimer’s Poetry Project is a simple idea: read classic poems to the patients that they might have learned as children. APP finds, even in the late stages of the disease, that people can remember words and lines from poems from their youth. Reciting poetry helps spark memories."
When I was at the Service to the Aging Program of the Brooklyn Public Library, we developed a program called "Words and Memories," which uses poetry, song and story to "help spark memories." So, even after 15 years we were on the right track.
Library staff that provides programming to nursing homes are often the unsung heroes of the staff. This is not an easy job to do. I know for I have done it almost my entire library career. But the enthusiasm from the residents make it all worthwhile. Doesn't it?
You can contact the Alzheimer's Poetry Project as follows:
Contact APP
Please direct all inquiries to:
Gary GlaznerFounder and Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Poetry Project
310 Bowery
New York, NY 10012
gary@alzpoetry.org
2 comments:
This is a fabulous idea! It would even be interesting as a regular library program - or an outreach program to adult day care centers, etc... that libraries could provide.
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