QuickStart Guide: 7 Easy Steps to a Library Memory Care Strategy

QuickStart Guide: 7 Easy Steps to a Library Memory Care Strategy

One of the fastest growing healthcare and social concerns in our communities is the issue of memory care and aging populations. 

With the massive Boomer bulge now solidly in their post-65 years, these issues are now coming to the forefront.  Not everyone will suffer from memory loss, cognitive impairments, Alzheimer’s, aphasia, dementia, or the myriad of conditions that are associated with aging.  That said, most express concerns about this for themselves, their friends, and family, and becoming a potential caregiver to loved ones.  And those loved ones, are becoming caregivers, and seeking to address their questions, develop strategies, and keep their loved ones safe and living and aging in place as long as possible.  Memory care issues and symptoms are addressable and can be increased by environmental factors like depression and social isolation.  The pandemic did a really good job hurting many of our users – especially teens and seniors.

This is a great opportunity for public libraries given our social consciousness and roles in our communities as an open, free, and non-stigmatized space.  We’ve been accommodating these library members for many decades, but now is the time to formalize some of these programs and seek to improve our program portfolios to serve our memory care and caregiver residents.

Here are a few simple enough strategies to phase in a great portfolio for your community that are affordable and adaptable to suit your library’s and your community’s needs.

1. Inform your self first!
2. Review your collections and resources.
3. Build a Memory Care Sensitive Staff.
4. Seek Partnerships
5. Start small and build momentum.
6. Inform your community.
7. Keep at it.

Inform yourself first!

Read up on it. MindCare offers a free FAQ about the questions caregivers and seniors ask about memory care.  Here’s the table of contents:

1. What are the audiences for dementia programs?
2. What do dementia caregivers need to know?
3. What activities help dementia sufferers adapt?
4. What do families of dementia sufferers need to know?
5. How do I help a family member with dementia with personal hygiene?
6. How do I help a family member learn or re-learn small tasks?
7. What kind of toys, games, and puzzles help with dementia?
8. Which organizations might be helpful partners for libraries in dementia and memory care programs and marketing?
9. What are some good memory care toys or games for seniors?
10. How do I make a room or space safer for a person with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or memory issues?
11. What activities stimulate memories in people with dementia, aphasia, or Alzheimer’s?
12. Can we restore skills in people with dementia, aphasia, or Alzheimer’s?
13. How do we avoid caregiver burnout and exhaustion?
14. What are some cognitive and memory care techniques and interventions?
15. How do we raise awareness of aphasia, dementia, and Alzheimer’s?
16. What can public libraries do in terms of dementia, aphasia, and Alzheimer’s support and programming as well as seniors’ social isolation?
17. What are the effects of social isolation on seniors?
18. What is a memory care cafe?
19. What is a memory care kit?
20. What is Reminiscence Therapy?
21. What is a Sensory Storytime for seniors?
22. What is Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) for seniors?
23. What are assistive devices for seniors in memory care?
24. What technology aids are there for assisting with seniors’ memory care?
25. What is reality orientation for seniors?
26. What are the best ideas for combatting social isolation for seniors?
27. What are the best public library program ideas for combatting social isolation for seniors?
28. What is a Dementia Friendly Library? An important part of a dementia friendly community
29. Helping engage with loved ones: Markham Public Library launches dementia care kits.
30. ALA: Library Services for Patrons with Alzheimer’s/Dementia
31. PLA: Programming Resources
32. 50 Activities for Seniors and Memory Care
33. Alzheimer’s Society: Creating a dementia friendly library.
34. The Who, What, Where, Why, When, and How’s of Passive Programing
35. How To Write a Program Planning Guide by Elizabeth Land, program coordinator at York County Public Library at the Virginia Library Leadership Academy

Review your collections and resources.

Libraries excel at collections. 

Review your collections and resources to ensure that most of your branches have a core collection of the following:

• Books: Relevant books can be spread all over the Dewey classification system.  They can be in medicine, social services, and so much more.
• Caregiver DVDs: There are great videos for caregivers, especially those from guru Teepa Snow.
• DVDs for seniors with dementia and memory issues: Plotless videos (travel, cute pet pictures, nature videos, and more) are wonderful options for those with mobility issues or just nod off.
• Things: There are many things to support programs and conversations including card sets, puzzles, trivia games, and more. 
• Kits: Consider borrowable kits containing great games to play with or manipulable toys that help with motor skills and engagement with family and friends.
• Games and recreation: Simple to learn, but fun games allow older adults with memory issues to engage with grandkids, family, and caregivers.

MindCare offers a curated collection of all of the above through our websites MindCareStore and AlzheimersStore.

Build a Memory Care Sensitive Staff.

We just can’t close the library do an in-service day to support every need and objective.  So, how do we train staff in a manageable way that doesn’t place to onerous a burden on our precious staff and time resources?  Here’s some tips:

• Dedicate a staff resource as the primary contact. Often a management team champion can show serious support (just as we do usually and very successfully with kiddy programs) and engage your staff resources about their role to play in this initiative.
• The learning strategy is similar to kiddy programs, where kids and parents/caregivers are the audience just like seniors and caregivers.  Building on the already existing empathy in your staff to avoid stigmatizing or infantilizing these users is key.
• The MindCare blog offers a single daily posting (a full year’s worth) that requires less than five minutes to read and absorb dispensing new knowledge every day in an efficient and productivity enhancing way.  Encourage staff to place this blog in their personal learning network RSS feeds, or better yet, push the postings out to them for a year.

Seek Partnerships

Do a few quick social media and web searches for local community partners and outreach:

• Alzheimer’s Society / Associations
  • Facebook support groups
    • Dementia-friendly Communities
    • Memory Care Facilities and Senior Centers
    • Healthcare Providers and Social Service Agencies
    • Local social services departments
    • Aging and Gerontology Organizations
    • Nonprofit Organizations
    • Friends of the Library groups
    • Community Support Groups
    • Local Universities, Colleges, and Research Institutions

When approaching these organizations, it is helpful to have a clear vision of the library’s goals and resources. Be open to discussing potential partnerships, sharing ideas, and identifying areas where collaboration can benefit both parties. Building strong relationships with these organizations can enhance the library’s capacity to serve individuals with dementia and their families effectively.  Look for speaker contacts and expertise.

Start small and build momentum.

Choose the low-hanging fruit that align with your strengths – collections, circulation, program conversation circles, and displays.

Build on successes you’ve already had.

Choose a theme and visual identity so that this initiative stands out from your other great programs.

Make it regular with weekly and monthly predictable sessions and programs.

Inform your community.

Let people know that you’re a place to go to deal with the triggers of memory care issues (especially after the pandemic shutdowns).

• Post an infographic link every week.  (52 infographics are available from MindCare) or source some of your own.
• Ensure that memory care options are in your display rotation.  Target seniors and caregivers separately.
• Develop a theme for memory care programs so that caregivers can attend your conversation circles or skill and awareness development sessions.  For example, MindCare can provide a PowerPoint presentation about safety and security for encouraging safe age-in-place and reducing their stress about loved ones. 
• Encourage people to drop-in on regularly scheduled programs and circles.

Keep at it.

As your library evolves and builds capacity to serve this important audience, keep in mind other opportunities to grow:

• Seek grants: When you’re considering expanding your memory care program initiative at your library, keep it in mind in your granting strategies.  Consider IMLS, state library grants, foundations, Friends of the Library, and local interest groups, for building collections,
• Ask for donations.  When a senior passes, they often leave behind useful things, safety devices, books, games, puzzles, and more that you can add to your collections or as community giveaways.  Caregivers will appreciate being able to re-home these useful possessions.
• Share your learning and successes with your peers through your social media, discussion lists, state and national associations meetings and conferences, etc.
• Consider looking at eBay, Kijiji, used books sites, etc. for second-hand affordable options for your library.