This is a wonderful one-on-one activity for the elderly, including those living with dementia. It promotes memory recall and reinforces self-worth by validating their past lives.
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This is a wonderful one-on-one activity for the elderly, including those living with dementia.

Object:

  • Reinforce self-worth
  • Validation of past lives

One-on-One Activity Instructions:

  • Sit with resident in a quiet and tranquil setting.
  • Start by explaining what the activity is all about. Tell them that you would love for them to share a short from their past.
  • Start with a story of your own to lead by example. Make sure they can hear you clearly. Your story should be simple and no more than one or two minutes long.
  • Encourage them to do likewise. Prompt them with some questions:
    • Where were you born?
    • Where did you go to school?
    • What was your first job?
    • How old were you when you got married?
    • etc.
  • Write down the story as they are telling it to you.
  • Read it back to them at the end to correct any misunderstanding.
  • Praise them for their effort.
  • Check with family for the sequence of events.
  • Ask for their consent to feature their story in your facility’s newsletter.
  • Collect stories, print on ornate paper and compile them into a photo album for posterity.

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Comments   Post a Comment

Margaret 24th Nov 2015 Diversional Therapist
hi Heather, what do you mean by "whose story is who....do you not use the resident's name when you type up the story?
Amanda 27th Apr 2021 Activities Officer
I only use their Christian name Margaret.
Heather 28th May 2012 Recreation Activities Officer
This is a great activity, have done this, I typed them all up and made them into a book, often bring them out and use it for remenicising, our residents like trying to decide whose story is who. Great memory recalling...
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