Many residents enjoy hearing local news but cannot afford a newspaper or are unable to read it themselves. Reading the paper aloud can be a meaningful activity.
The reader must have a voice that is easily understood, must read at a slower pace than they would read for themselves, and must show enthusiasm for the articles.
Other things to remember when reading the paper aloud, do NOT read entire articles. Many are simply too long and contain information that the residents really don’t care to hear because it’s of no value to them. Read headlines and a few sentences of each. Read the names on the obituaries, the weekly weather report, events in the city, social events, church news, wedding and anniversary announcements, and many residents enjoy the horoscope section. Editorial pages, stock market pages, and politics are generally of little interest.
Ask questions that may elicit an answer from the group. For example if you have just read about farmers market, ask if anyone has ever gone to one. When reading about a church social, ask who used to cook for their church socials, etc.
When choosing participants for this group, be sure to include only those individuals who can hear, who can relate to the articles, and who are able to sit calmly for 30-40 minutes.
