Strengthen Your Mind Activities for People with Early Memory Loss, Volume One By Kristin Einberger and Janelle Sellick, M.S.

Excerpted from the Introduction and page 91 of Strengthen Your Mind: Activities for People with Early Memory Loss, Volume Two by Kristin Einberger, and Janelle Sellick, M.S.

Copyright © 2008 by Health Professions Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the author.

Introduction

For years it was thought that there was little that could be done to strengthen the minds of those with memory loss. Today, thanks to the dedication of many, we know differently. Listening to or playing music, exercising, eating foods high in antioxidants, socializing, learning new things, doing things differently, doing crossword puzzles and other cognitively stimulating activities—all of these are becoming more and more prevalent as ways to enhance a person’s memory.

Since our first book, Strengthen Your Mind: Activities for People with Early Memory Loss, Volume One, was written, mental stimulation as a means to strengthen memory has gained a great deal of attention. It is hard to pick up a magazine or newspaper without seeing some mention of this fact. Although a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia has not yet become a reality, research is identifying many exciting new discoveries that can make positive differences in the lives of those who are dealing with early memory loss.

The 87 all-new activities (or worksheets) within this manual are designed to make a positive difference by enhancing memory as well as by creating an outlet for socialization, pure enjoyment, and fun. The worksheets will encourage you to research and discuss a variety of topics that you may never have had an interest in or even thought of learning about before. With each worksheet that you complete, you will gain a little more knowledge to tuck away and add to a lifetime of learning and experiences. Do not worry if you cannot find the answer to every question; just enjoy taking the time to find the answers by talking with others or using reference materials such as the Internet, dictionaries, and encyclopedias. You may find more than one answer for some questions. Above all, have fun using this manual—the true benefit of the worksheets is participating in the process of finding the answers, not knowing every answer!

In this second volume of Strengthen Your Mind, activities are divided into three sections—People, Places, and Things. The worksheets are in the same format as in Volume One. For each topic, on the front page is a short introduction and on the back page is an answer sheet. Answers are in a variety of forms, including multiple choice, fill in the blank, and brainstorming. Some answers will come easily. Others may necessitate some research. Using a map or globe will be helpful in working on activities that involve geography. Other worksheets, such as Pass the Cheese, Please, may call for a walk around the grocery store. And still others, such as Important Dates in History, may call for the use of an encyclopedia, the Internet, or a discussion with a history buff.

Our intent is that you use these worksheets as a means to enhance your memory, whether you know all of the answers or whether you need to do some research to find them. Remember, knowing the answers is not the important part of using this manual; using the worksheets to strengthen your mind and to provide enjoyment is! We wish you luck in your journey. You are to be commended for being proactive in dealing with your memory loss. Give yourself a pat on the back. Then wait no longer—get started on the activities!

INFORMATION FOR FACILITATORS

As with Volume One of Strengthen Your Mind, these worksheets are not only beneficial for individuals with early memory loss, but also for professionals (i.e., facilitators) who work with people who want to strengthen their minds. At the bottom of each answer sheet, below the answers to the questions, are suggestions for facilitators on ways to encourage further discussion on each topic. The worksheets are designed to be reproducible. We suggest making enough copies (front side only) for each person in your group. You may also want to provide extra copies for people to take home with them so that they can work together on a topic with family members or friends. Make sure that participants are relaxed and focused on the topic before starting to work on an activity. When reviewing the questions, encourage people in the group to share their answers. Avoid just “reading off” the answers, and take time to let people share any thoughts, memories, or stories that arise. Make the group feel comfortable by encouraging them to share or by sharing a story of your own. You can ask them how they liked the worksheet, if they found it easy or difficult, or with whom they worked to complete it.

We suggest that you use a map for any worksheet that involves geography. For those that involve food, taste tests would be fun. For those that involve music, try bringing in different types of music and instruments and encourage singing. An A–Z list of a topic within an activity may be a good spin-off exercise for many of the worksheets. Simply coming up with a list of things—such as things that fly when completing the Space and Beyond worksheet or a list of presidents of the United States when completing the Presidential Facts worksheet, would be a good exercise. For other worksheets, such as Which State Is It?, it may be a great time to do a sort of show and tell for which participants bring in pictures or items from states in which they were born or have lived. Using a variety of visual and auditory aids can be beneficial in working with all of the activities.

The most important aspect of these worksheets is their ability to serve as a means to reminisce, to learn new things, and to experience a sense of joy. We hope you and those with whom you work will find this manual to be a valuable tool and that it will have a positive impact on the lives of many.

Sample Activity

On the Map

Maps have been around for hundreds of years. They were first used for property lines, tax collecting, and voyages through familiar territories. There was little interest in “the land beyond.” Today, however, maps are used for a variety of purposes, from navigating waters to identifying geological features. How much do you know about maps? Can you identify the following features?

1. The study of making maps is called what?

2. This feature lets us know that 1 inch equals 100 miles on a map.

3. A collection of maps, usually in book form, is called what?

4. The imaginary line that runs halfway between the North Pole and South Pole is called the what?

5. A navigational instrument used for finding directions (N, S, E, and W) is called what?

6. A key to the color codes and symbols on a map is called a what?

7. This is the study of Earth’s surface. This type of map identifies bodies of water, mountains, and so forth.