There are wonderful pictures in magazines. If your facility has no magazines, put out a call for donations and you’ll have more than your need!
Cut out the clear, uncluttered and colorful pictures. Those pictures that display only a dog are much better than a picture that displays a dog in a field with trees and a truck. Cut all kinds of pictures: Houses, animals, people’s faces, snowmen, children, birds, flowers, foods. Keep pictures simple, not confusing. Eliminate print, ads, and any extraneous material.
Pictures are kept clean and easy to hand by placing them in page protectors and three-ring binders. Pull out the pages you want to use and let residents handle them without worry of soiling or tearing.
Simply share the memory a picture evokes. Ask residents to name what is in the picture. If they can’t remember, provide the name and ask if they ever had-saw-used or ate one. Share with others present. Let everyone handle the picture.
Scatter the pictures on the table in front of the residents. Ask them to find specific pictures. Ask them to place specific pictures into a box or into a single pile.
