Memory care tools available at the library

Dementia is one of the leading causes of dependency and mental impairment among the senior population. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer's Awareness Month is celebrated in June, making it a great time to consider the impact this mental health condition has on our population. Alzheimer's disease affects approximately 7 million people in the United States. People living with memory loss require extra care, which, if living at home, often comes from a partner or other family members. The Tiffin-Seneca Public Library has been brainstorming new ways to help support patrons living with memory loss and we are happy to announce a new addition to our Memory Care Collection: Joy for All Companion Pet. Our new companion pet, an orange tabby cat, is now available for check-out to our T-SPL adult cardholders. What is a companion pet? A companion pet is a realistic-looking, sounding, and feeling, state-of-the-art, interactive stuffed animal. It is installed with the latest technology to be as realistic as possible. The pet brings comfort, companionship, and playful fun to aging loved ones! Checking out our companion pet is a great way to see if it would work well for your loved one. The companion pet checks out, just like a book, for three weeks at a time. Also, in our Memory Care Collection, we have Memory Kits available for check-out. Memory Kits are bags filled with activities for caregivers to do with seniors living with dementia. One of the greatest frustrations for those coping with dementia is the inability to do those activities they once enjoyed. Activities and hobbies that used to come easily to them now feel difficult. Memories of these activities can be fuzzy or even lost. One way to bring these memories back is by using the library's Memory Care Kits. The Memory Kits have different themes: Going Out, In the Garden, At Home, Animals, Favorite Things, The Beach, Transportation, and The Tool Shed. The themed kits provide seniors with a snapshot of the past and encourage conversations. Each kit utilizes the senses with brightly colored pictures, easy and engaging activities, fun and exciting games or puzzles that stimulate memory, and music that highlights moments in life. The kits also include a book on dementia that caregivers may read to help gain insight into memory loss. Along with our memory kits, the library also has Fidget Blankets available for check-out. Our fidget blankets are a fun sensory toy that helps alleviate agitation and nervousness by providing a comforting sensory activity for your hands. Both Memory Kits and Fidget Blankets check out for three weeks at a time. All of these items will be displayed during the month of June in the main display area by the information desk. Look for the clear tote bags with red handles. For more information, stop in and inquire at the Information Desk. You may also contact Beth Gottfried, Extension and Outreach Manager, at 419-447-3751, ext. 113, or visit our website at www.tiffinsenecalibrary.org.