St. Louis Readers
| Connections |
March 2009 Issue 1
Greetings and welcome to our 1st Newsletter! The premise behind St. Louis Readers is to provide resource options
for seniors with a focus on increasing brain activity through reading, communication, interaction and fun.
This innovative publication is designed to provide you with valuable information and activity ideas for you and
your residents. You can contact us anytime with feedback or specific topic requests by emailing
Len@StLouisReaders.com.
for seniors with a focus on increasing brain activity through reading, communication, interaction and fun.
This innovative publication is designed to provide you with valuable information and activity ideas for you and
your residents. You can contact us anytime with feedback or specific topic requests by emailing
Len@StLouisReaders.com.
| This Month’s Focus: March Movie Memories |
| The following Activity Topic has been borrowed and condensed from the “Cognitive Expressions First Aid Kit”. |
Activity Topic: Old Movies Ice Breaker Joke: Why does Scrooge love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? Answer: Because every buck is dear to him. Corresponding Reading Material: www.loti.com/fifties_history/Drive-In_Theatres.htm Discussion Suggestions: Have each participant name their favorite movie/s. Continue with the following verbal exploration: Do you remember where you saw these movies? Who took you or who did you go with? Who were your favorite actors? Who remembers 5 cent movies? Did you go as a group or with a friend? Additional Activities: See who remembers the following famous movie quotes…. “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” -Gone With The Wind “Here’s lookin’ at you kid.” -Casablanca “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s gonna be a bumpy night.” -All About Eve “I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog too.” -The Wizard Of Oz “As God as my witness, I’ll never be hungry again.” -Gone With The Wind Did you know? Vintage movies are shown throughout the day on TCM (Turner Classic Movies). Why have the community television tuned into negative news when these treasures are available with the click of the remote? Review your local cable listings to get the appropriate channel. |
| Vintage Visual Resources On The Web |
www.archive.org is a nonprofit online digital library. Here you can find public domain newsreels, movies, vintage cartoons, old movies trailers and old commercials. There is even some good old vacation footage sent in by misc. families over the years. This site is a wealth of vintage footage that will transport your residents back in time. |
Did you know? You can go to the above site and search “Drive-In Movie Ads A Go-Go” to view those funny and classic refreshment ads shown before and during the Drive-In Movie Presentations of yesteryear. |
| Make Your Resident’s Smile…. |
Let The Cognitive Expressions First Aid Kit make your life easier! This
incredible product provides you with 52 weeks of activities to enjoy
with your residents. Specifically designed to utilize a positive and
interactive approach that engages the body, mind and spirit.
Participants are guided through an incredible sensory experience by
calling on smells, touch, visuals and auditory stimulation to reanimate
memories, triggering conversation and fun!
Place Your Order Today at www.StLouisReaders.com
incredible product provides you with 52 weeks of activities to enjoy
with your residents. Specifically designed to utilize a positive and
interactive approach that engages the body, mind and spirit.
Participants are guided through an incredible sensory experience by
calling on smells, touch, visuals and auditory stimulation to reanimate
memories, triggering conversation and fun!
Place Your Order Today at www.StLouisReaders.com
| Retro Radio Shows - The Last Of Their Kind |
There are still radio shows today that have that old time format with a live audience as well. The following programs can be found online: The Prairie Home Companion http://prairiehome.publicradio.org Michael Feldman’s Whad’ Ya Know? www.notmuch.com Wait Wait….Don’t Tell Me! www.npr.org/programs/waitwait You can also catch past episodes on the web. It is easy to post show times and simply have it playing in your activity room for the enjoyment of all! Did You Know? These shows are often broadcast regularly on local public radio. Check your local listings for detail on times and programming. Here in St. Louis they are broadcast weekends on 90.7 KWMU. |
| Podcasts…..Our New Favorite Tool! |
Podcasts are a wealth of free information and enjoyment for you and your residents. You don’t need an iPod to view a podcast, simply use the iTunes Program at Apple.com to play and view. A great podcast to start with is “The Brain Science Podcast”. Simply click subscribe and you will then have access to the latest scientific findings on neuroplatisity and the studies of the brain. Consider this continuing education and food for thought. Podcasts can be used for your residents enjoyment as well. Broadcasts such as Vintage Toon Cast, which features old cartoons and Dave’s Lounge, which features mellow easy listening music, can be a great addition to your entertainment schedule. |
| Activity Add On’s… |
Share Your Stories..... During Activity sessions share your own stories of growing up. Sharing fond memories of your parents or grandparents opens up dialogue for the participants to join in and share their life stories. The Gangs All Here. Group Sessions provide a great opportunity to get brains active. For many people nothing takes more brain power than Math. Simple mental addition or subtraction in the form of a descriptive question like “Mary had 10 apples and gave Sally 3, how many does she now have?” can get folks engaged in calling out the answers. You may want to incorporate a reward such as M&M’s or play money that can be redeemed for small dollar store items at the end of the month. Keep in mind, you may have a math wiz in the crowd who steals the show…..no worries…..just have the “genius” sit out a couple of rounds so other people can win as well! Attention: Shutter Bugs! Have a photo contest. Each day give a different resident a digital camera to use for that day. After all participants have had their turn, hold a contest judged by others or the staff. Digital photography costs only the time to download and edit……little investment for a BIG payoff! Again, the winner can be rewarded with play money that can be used toward a terrific small prize at the end of the month. |
| Did You Know? It is not possible to tickle yourself. The cerebellum, a part of the brain, warns the rest of the brain that you are about to tickle yourself. Since your brain knows this, it ignores the resulting sensation. |
| St. Louis Readers Call today to schedule a Reading Activity Session for your residents. 314-567-3616 www.StLouisReaders.com |
