Who knew that a set of trolls could bring such smiles to our Lady-Links at a recent Show and Tell visit with one of our dear friends. We never know what will happen at our Show and Tell visits because the items we bring range from something ordinary to something very unique. But we can always count on smiles, conversation, and connections at each of these visits. What was unusual about this visit was that our dear friend wanted to share something she had that was meaningful to her….so out came the trolls!
Along with the set of trolls came an explanation of the meaning of trolls in European folklore. It was a great visit with lots laughter shared as we looked at the features on these rather weird-looking creatures!
But “unusual” items don’t surprise us….in fact, they add to the spontaneity of the Show and Tell visits. One of our most fun visits with this dear friend was when a Lady-Link brought a ceramic mushroom she made and began to tell us some of the legends surrounding mushrooms….such as the idea that mushrooms can communicate with one another! A talking mushroom… we’d all like to see that! I can’t remember laughing so much as when we tried to figure out what one mushroom might say to another mushroom!
Even something as “ordinary” as string can bring lots of memories and smiles. One of our Lady-Links brought a large spool of string that reminded us that string was used to wrap packages at the store when we were young. That prompted memories of shopping with our parents in local stores long before plastic bags were “invented.” Memories were shared such as how packages were sent through the mail after they were firmly secured with brown paper and string, rather than the packing tape or self-seal boxes that we use today.
Other more common items, such as jewelry and pottery are just as effective and are always sure to inspire conversation. Pieces one of our Lady-Links brought to a visit have a southwest look to them, coming from Arizona and South America. This prompted conversations about color and design combinations, travel, and what type of souvenirs we like to bring back from a trip.
Are you getting the picture here? It’s not so much about what you bring to your visit with your friend or loved one in cognitive decline….anything will do….it’s what you do with the object that you bring that makes for a successful visit. Here are some tips to remember:
- Talk briefly about the object such as where you got it, what it’s used for, and why it’s meaningful to you. (This is not a report that you are giving to an audience. What you say should be more conversational in style and tone rather than as if you were making a presentation.)
- Engage your dear friend or loved one by letting them hold it.
- Let the object inspire conversation.
- Find a connection…a similar experience perhaps from childhood or shared memories of when something similar was used.
The Show and Tell visits are some of our most successful visits because there are so many ways to find connections. And that’s what we want to do….we want to keep our dear friends connected (linked) to their surroundings because it improves their quality of life and helps them feel a sense of purpose. We’re named Lady-Links for a reason, and we enjoy helping to keep those links strong!
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