Recollections
This program helps individuals living with dementia create a lasting Life Story book to share with their family and friends.
The first step to accessing the Recollections program is to make a referral to the Alzheimer Society:
- Fill out our online referral form
- Call our office at 905-687-3914
For more information, download the Recollections brochure.
What is Recollections?
The Recollections Program helps individuals living with dementia (participants) to document their Life Story, creating a keepsake book that they can cherish and share with others. Recollections is a chance for individuals in the early to middle stages of Alzheimer's disease or other dementias to share their stories and personal history to help preserve their heritage.
Why create a Life Story book?
- The process of reviewing one’s life can be therapeutic by helping a person remember old stories and times and potentially attach new, more positive meaning to them
- Reviewing one’s life is great for utilizing long-term memory and stimulating the brain
- The process of creating the book requires one to use communication skills by conversing with another person
- Enhances and preserves self-identity
- Helps loved ones and healthcare providers better understand the individual and their history
What is the process?
- The program runs once a week for 6 weeks. Each session is one (1) hour in length
- Each participant will be matched with a trained volunteer
- Each week the participant and volunteer will work together to complete one (1) topic for the Life Story book
- Participants select topics they would like to include in their book and are provided with cueing questions to spark memories/ information for the topic page
- Participants are asked to bring in 3-4 pictures each week relating to the weekly topic
At the end of the program participants will be provided one computer printed book of between 10 and 20 pages. As well, a computer disc with an electronic copy of the book will be provided for participants to print copies of the book on their own if they wish.