Short Stories

The Sumatran Rhino Short Story

The Sumatran rhinoceros is a critically endangered species. They once lived in rainforests, swamps and cloud forests in India, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and islands in Indonesia.

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This Day in History for Seniors: February

** Updated for the 2020 Leap Year ** A reminiscing magazine for every day in February! Filled with interesting facts, trivia, hit singles and famous movies from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

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3 Inspiring Read Aloud Short Stories

Here are 3 inspirational read-aloud short stories to share!

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This Day in History for Seniors: January

A reminiscing magazine for every day in January! Enjoy a full page of information about every day of the year, including important historical events, short bios, jokes, quotes, and fun brain teasers.

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This Day in History for Seniors: December

A reminiscing magazine for every day in December! Enjoy a full page of information about every day of the year, including important historical events, short biographies, jokes, quotes, and fun brain teasers.

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Funny Short Stories #5

Some more funny short stories the share!

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This Day in History for Seniors: November

A reminiscing magazine for every day in November! Enjoy a full page of information about every day of the year, including important historical events, short biographies, jokes, quotes, and fun brain teasers.

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The First Digital Camera - Steven Sasson

Steven Sasson is the inventor of the first digital camera. It was as big as a toaster weighing 3.6 kilos or nearly 8 pounds! The pictures were black and white and it took 23 seconds to process the image.

Epictetus - A Remarkable Philosopher

Who Is Epictetus? From Slave To World’s Most Sought After Philosopher

This Day in History for Seniors: October

A reminiscing magazine for every day in October! Enjoy the next edition of the popular 'This Day in History' series with historical trivia, jokes, quotes and biographies!

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This Day in History for Seniors: September

A reminiscing magazine for every day in September! Enjoy the next edition of the popular 'This Day in History' series with historical trivia, jokes, quotes and biographies!

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Confucius Short Biography

Confucius was an influential Chinese philosopher, teacher and political figure. He became widely known for his teachings concerning the principles of good conduct, practical wisdom, and proper social relationships.

Remembering Shirley Temple

The residents loved the remembering Judy Garland powerpoint presentation and asked if there was one on Shirley Temple.  I made one and thought I would submit it as these create great discussion and reminiscing.

7 Comments Member Activity

Funny Short Stories #4

Some more funny short stories the share: The Envelope, The Doctor and The Restaurant

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This Day In History For Seniors: August

A reminiscing magazine for every day in August! Enjoy the next edition of the popular 'This Day in History' series with historical trivia, jokes, quotes and biographies!

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Vanishing Culture - The Kingdom of Mustang

Hidden by the Himalayas in one of the most remote corners of the world lies Mustang, an ancient forbidden kingdom. This pure and ancient culture, considered the best preserved medieval city in the world, is facing a cultural overhaul that could see the loss of ancestral skills and crafts as well as their language.

Funny Short Stories #3

Here are three funny short stories to share: The Farmer, Married Four Times, The Frog

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Funny Short Stories #2

Here are three funny short stories to share: The Policeman, The Poacher and Senior Special!

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Remembering Judy Garland

I have put together a Powerpoint of slides about Judy Garland which I am going to show my group next week.  It has a bit about her life, some interesting facts and one of her quotes.

3 Comments Member Activity

Fill-in the Blanks - Little Known Places of the World #2

There are so many places in the world we are not aware of; many of them are cultural and natural wonders! In focus: Lençóis Maranhenses, Brazil

Fill-in the Blanks - Little Known Places of the World #1

There are so many places in the world we are not aware of; many of them are cultural and natural wonders! In focus: Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Funny Short Stories #1

Here are two funny short stories to share: The Roommate & The Miser

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D-Day Veteran Stories - David Roulston

David Roulston's account of the day Winston Churchill arrived, amid stiff opposition, in Normany to show support for the troops.

D-Day Veteran Stories - Bernard Jordan

The engaging story of Bernard Jordan, a WWII veteran who ‘broke out’ of his care home and escaped to Normandy for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Short Story - The Runaway Train

In November 2018, BHP was forced to deliberately derail a runaway train loaded with iron ore in Western Australia. The driver had been inspecting an issue with the loaded train when it started moving by itself. This is a gripping news event to share with residents!

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Shakespeare: The Tempest - Short Summary

'The Tempest' is considered to be Shakespeare’s final play. Summaries of Shakespeare’s plays do not do justice to the beautiful and poetic language he uses, however they help to understand his stories.

Saint David Short Biography

St David is the patron saint of Wales, whose saint's day is celebrated annually on 1 March.

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Abraham Lincoln Quotes

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was a man of supreme moral principle, sound judgment, and is today regarded as one of America's greatest heroes. Here are some of his most enduring quotes.

4 Amusing Senior Stories

Here are some funny senior stories guaranteed to amuse!

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Paul Jackson Pollock Short Biography

Paul Jackson Pollock was an American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement.

The Story of Saint Nicholas

The story of a Christian Saint, whose life inspires compassion and charity.

Inventors You've Never Heard Of

Our lives have been made easier by countless brilliant minds bringing forward inventions perceived as 'impossible'. Some were handsomely rewarded and others did not receive the recognition they deserved.

Reminiscing with Children's Prayers

Prayers are a wonderful theme for reminiscing. Encourage your clients to share bedtime prayers from their childhood. Here are a few prayers for inspiration.

United States: Reminiscing About Life in 1915

Some statistics from the year 1915... more than 100 years ago!

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Read-Aloud: Audience Participation Story

An audience participation story engages the audience in the story. It is a fun activity that promotes focus and creativity. Clients may repeat a word or phrase throughout the story: sing, gesture, or act.

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Famous Female Inventors

Profiles on some inspiring female inventors. A wonderful reminiscing activity for seniors!

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Remembering the clothesline

You have to be a certain age to appreciate this one.
I can hear my mother now...

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St. Andrew - Short Biography

Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, the brother of Saint Peter and Christ's first disciple.

Fascinating Stories of the Sea

Celebrate World Maritime Day with these captivating stories. If you have a sailor among your clients he may have some interesting tales to tell!

Banjo Paterson Short Biography

Banjo Paterson was an Australian bush poet, journalist and author. He wrote many ballads and poems about Australian life, including Waltzing Matilda and The Man from Snowy River.

Choose Your Own Adventure Books

One of my colleagues had the great idea to try "Choose Your Own Adventure Books" with the residents. I tried it one afternoon and they loved it!

8 Comments Member Activity

Famous Black Inventors & Innovators

Famous inventions and innovations to learn about during Black History Month.

J.R.R. Tolkien Short Biography

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor. He is best known as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

The Birth of Jesus (A Christmas Story)

Here is a short story about the birth of Jesus to share.

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The Story of Hanukkah

Hanukkah holiday honors the struggle of the Jewish people to restore the Temple of Jerusalem.

Member Activity

Voyage to Sydney - Short Story

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, visited Sydney, Australia in the late 19th century (1895) while on a world-wide lecture tour. This is a concise excerpt from his travelogue "Following the Equator".

Famous People Who Were Once Teachers

Here is some interesting trivia about well-known personalities who are also teachers!

History of the Tie

Here is some interesting trivia regarding the history of the necktie.

Short Stories about Forgiveness

Here are two short stories to share about forgiveness.

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Frederic Chopin - Poet of the Piano

Enjoy a short biography of the life of Frédéric François Chopin, Polish composer and virtuoso pianist.

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Short Story: The Birth of QANTAS

Qantas is a national icon worthy of celebration. Here is a short version of the Qantas story.

Australia: Reminiscing About Life In 1915

One hundred years ago Australia was only 14 years out of federation; a very young nation indeed! Let’s reflect on how things were different in 1915.

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Short Biography of Robert Burns

Robert Burns is considered the national poet of Scotland. Also known as the ‘Bard of Ayrshire’, he was also a lyricist and songwriter.

Read-Aloud: Open-ended Story

Open-ended stories provide a creative way to engage clients in a story. Read a short story where the ending in inconclusive or incomplete. Clients may speculate how the story can continue, or how the problem can be solved. Write client answers on a white board and read them out at the end of the activity.

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Read Along Books for Dementia Residents

Read Along books for dementia residents

10 Comments Member Activity

Short Story: How is Wind Speed Measured?

Who knew wind could be so interesting!

Short Story - Abraham Lincoln’s Beard

An interesting story on why Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States decided to grow a beard.

Reminiscing: The Early Days of Black & White T.V

6 people share their memories of how they were first introduced to television. Use this as a starting point to generate your own discussion and reminiscing session.

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Pirate Short Stories

Ask clients if they have a pirate/sailor story to share and find out what they know about pirates and piracy. You may have an ex-sailor among your clients that could contribute with a few stories. Here is a pirate story to start with.

The Life Saver- Short Story

Swansea Jack was a black retriever who was reported to have saved at least 27 people from the most dangerous river in Wales.

Cross Country with Bud - Short Story

The famous tale of the goggled dog.

Short Story – Beethoven’s Biography

Composer and pianist Ludwig Van Beethoven is considered by many as the greatest composer of all time.

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Short Story - Matthew Flinders

Matthew Flinders was a distinguished English navigator and cartographer. He was the first person to circumnavigate the island-continent of Australia.

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For Pondering: You are Survivors

For those born before 1940!
You were born before television, before penicillin, antibiotics, polio shots, frozen foods...

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Short Story - Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and Big Bopper Remembered

This short story provides a reminiscing and nostalgia activity for seniors. On February 3, 1959 three young rock & roll musicians died in a plane crash in Iowa, USA. The date is often dubbed as 'The day the music died'

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Short Story - Crossword Puzzles turn 100th!

December 21 2013 marked the Centenary of the Crossword. The game has been called "the most popular and widespread word game in the world".

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Vanishing Culture - The Bushman of the Kalahari

The indigenous people of Southern Africa are known as 'Bushmen'. They are one of the oldest inhabitants of Africa, where they have lived for the past 20,000 years.

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Dog Swims Ten Miles to Get Home

This is a sweet true story about a dog's determination to get home after falling overboard from a boat.

Inspirational Short Story - The Scottish Farmer

The history of this famous man is a wonderful and uplifting tale to share.

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Remembering ‘The Lone Eagle’ - Charles Lindberg

Charles Lindbergh II was an American aviator and writer who crossed the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, non-stop in 1927.

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Remembering Ferdinand Magellan

On November 28 1520, Ferdinand Magellan discovered a navigable sea route through South America, this passage became known as the Straight of Magellan.

Peace Maker Profiles

Here are two short biographies of famous peace-makers Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi.

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Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories

Here are 3 beautiful Dreamtime stories to share during Naidoc week.

Wall Street Crash of 1929

Read this article to your residents and encourage them to reminisce about historically significant events that occurred during the month of October.

Famous Cat Lovers

Here are some interesting stories about famous cat lovers to help you celebrate World Animal Day.