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Community Navigator
Angi Polito displays the contents of sensory activity kits, available from the
Randolph County Public Libraries, that caregivers can use with people
experiencing dementia.
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ASHEBORO – Caregivers for people experiencing dementia are
invited to participate in hands-on, multi-disciplinary training workshops
presented by the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina at three Randolph County
Public Libraries locations on August 30 and 31.
Called “Accepting the Challenge,” the training will be
offered at the libraries as follows;
- Archdale
Public Library, 3 p.m. Tuesday, August 30;
- Liberty
Public Library, 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 30;
- Asheboro
Public Library, 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 31.
The sessions, conducted by Melanie Bunn, RN MS GNP, of the
Dementia Alliance and hosted by the library’s Community Navigators, are free
and open to all caregivers and potential caregivers. No registration is
required.
The 2-hour workshop is designed to help caregivers provide
the best care possible and in turn offer a quality of life for people with
dementia. Topics include background information on dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease; physical approaches; communication skills; offering assistance;
evaluating cognitive levels; “Meaningful Days” (activities); and problem
behavior.
The “Accepting the Challenge” training will be available on
two DVD sets that can be checked out from the library.
Also available from the library are 11 sensory activity kits
for caregivers to use people experiencing dementia. The kits provide simple,
hands-on experiences that keep the person’s mind active and offer the comfort
of a repetitive action.
All the kits include fidget balls and reusable water paint
cards. Kits aimed primarily for women include a companion doll and a lacing
activity card, while those aimed for men include a busy-work board and “Plumber
Pals” pipes.
Each bundle also includes three books for caregivers: Put
Your Mask on First, a book about self-care; Caregiving 101: Activities
for the Family Caregiver; and Caregiving 101: Activity Fun Book. The
kits will be available at each library, on the Mobile Library and through the
Extension Services Department.
The dementia-care project was developed by Community
Navigator Angi Polito and funded through a Bright Ideas Grant awarded by the
State Library of North Carolina.
The grant is made possible by funding from the federal
Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library
of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural
Resources (IMLS grant number LS-252476-OLS-21).
For further information, call the Community Navigators at
336-318-6825 or email them at navigators@randolphlibrary.org.
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