A Professional Caregiver Toolkit for the Memory Studio

Early — words still come

• Reasoning is mostly intact; word-finding may stumble; long-term memory is strong.
• Good fits: crosswords, word searches, trivia, finish-the-saying, photo prompts.
• Adaptations: adult themes, no timers, offer an answer key.
• Gentle avoids: quizzing recent events, correcting in front of others.

Middle — the hands remember

• Language has thinned; sequencing is hard; procedural memory still knows what to do.
• Good fits: picture matching, sorting, coloring, one-image prompts, two-step tasks.
• Adaptations: place the object in the hand, one instruction at a time, large high-contrast pieces.
• Gentle avoids: right-or-wrong questions, multi-step written directions, childish materials.

Late — the senses stay

• Most words are gone; touch, warmth, scent, and rhythm still reach the person.
• Good fits: sensory scripts, hand-over-hand folding, one large image, music, one scent at a time.
• Adaptations: do it together, narrate quietly, warm the object, five minutes is enough.
• Gentle avoids: questions, bright or loud rooms, demands.

Quick reminders

• A person can be early in the morning and late in the evening — match the moment, not the diagnosis.
• There is no failing. If an activity lands badly, stop and sit beside them.
• Presence without an agenda is its own activity.

Before you begin

• Read the sheet yourself first. Gather only what it asks for. A single page is an invitation; a stack reads as a task.

Set the scene

• Turn off overhead glare. Sit shoulder to shoulder. Warm the room before the late afternoon.

Go first

• Model the first answer or motion. Going first removes the spotlight and shows there is no test.

Follow the story

• If the answer wanders, follow it. The conversation is the point; the puzzle is only the doorway.

Stop while it is still good

• Ten to twenty minutes is plenty. Ending on a good moment makes the next visit easier.

When it does not land

• Set it down without comment. Presence without an agenda is its own activity.

What we tried

• Date and time: _________________________________
• Activity or sheet offered: _________________________________
• Stage that fit today: Early / Middle / Late
• Who was there: _________________________________

How it landed

• Enjoyed / Neutral / Withdrawn / Agitated / Other: _________
• What helped: _________________________________________________
• What to try next time: _________________________________________________

Environment notes

• Time of day: _________________________________
• Light: _________________________________
• Sound: _________________________________
• Anything else: _________________________________________________

Before the visit

• Call ahead if you can. Bring one small thing — a photo, a song, a flower — not a bag of gifts.
• Plan for twenty minutes, not an afternoon.

During the visit

• Sit side by side. Talk about the years they were young. Ask about smells and sounds, not dates.
• It is fine to be quiet together.

When the visit feels hard

• Do not correct facts. Meet the feeling underneath. Offer a warm hand or a familiar song.
• Leave the room if you need to catch your breath.

After the visit

• Notice one good moment. Write it down if you want. There is no perfect visit; there is only showing up.