Public article
By Jane Verity ©dementiacareinternational.com
Whether a person who has dementia lives at home or in a residential facility, keeping a visitor’s book readily available can help everyone keep track of who has visited and anything they may have brought and left.
A ring binder can be an ideal solution. Lined pages can be added; plus plastic pockets for any keepsakes that visitors might bring.
Write on the cover George’s* Visitor’s Book (*replace with your person’s name). People with dementia love to read their own names; it reaffirms their identity and gives them a joyful feeling of recognition.
Inside the front cover you can write a short guideline to visitors. Our suggested text is as follows:
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Dear Friends
When you visit George*, we would like to invite you to write in this Visitor’s Book before you leave. This is to help George get twice the enjoyment out of your visit by being able to read about your time together and remember it.
We suggest you write the day, date and time of your visit, your name and how George knows you. Then, a few lines about what you both did, talked about, etc. It is only necessary to write the highlights; anything that was unusual about your visit, humorous or colourful or stimulated your senses. Also, please remember to write if you brought something for George, what it is and where you have left it.
If you brought a card, you could leave it in one of the plastic pockets at the back of this ring binder. You can move the plastic pocket to follow the page with your entry.
Thank you so much for helping George remember the special time you spent together.
With love from
(your name)
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