Memory Magic Benefits for Participants & Residents |
 Promotes use of cognitive abilities
The Memory Magic™ Program supports the use of remaining abilities and provides cueing for those abilities that are impaired by the effects of dementia. Unlike typical games and activities, program participants utilize long lasting abilities such as reading, habits and skills from the past, reminiscing and interacting with each other in a structured and supported social setting.
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Promotes the use of fine and gross motor skills
Building on the Montessori principle of including a physical component to any activity, the Memory Magic™ Program includes selecting a target word answer on the board and pulling the purple shade down. The shades are ergonomically designed and tested to ensure they are easy to grasp or cup and be pulled down by both able adults as well as frail individuals. |
Stimulates social interaction
The Memory Magic™ Program is ideal as a large group activity. The themed sessions such as Wise Sayings or What’s in the Kitchen encourage conversation. The program is an experienced as an age-appropriate parlor game. The procedure on each turn or round includes a set of questions for the group, called "Talking Points," that tie into the phrase or subject of that turn. The focus and pacing stimulate and allow individuals with a broad range of abilities to engage in social conversation and reminiscence. |
Increases levels of engagement
Meaningful and person-centered, Memory Magic™ is presented to residents as a game. Fun and interesting, allows individuals with a range of cognitive abilities to use their remaining strengths, which lets each person engage at the level of their ability. Compared to other activities, Memory Magic™ is significantly more engaging for both active and passive engagement. Perhaps another reason for such strong levels of engagement is the Program Board which serves as a Game Board to the resident and provides a point of concentration and physical touching throughout the entire Program. |
Increases positive emotions
During their participation in Memory Magic™, residents smile significantly more often and more broadly as well as produce significantly more positive statements. While individuals with dementia and other cognitive impairments are often clinically depressed, evidence-based outcome research demonstrates that more positive feelings and positive affect with the Memory Magic™ Program than with other standard activities in common use. It is said that the "joy is in the moment" for people with dementia. Memory Magic™ creates many moments of joy for its participants. |
Reduces disruptive behavior
Disruptive behaviors occur when individuals are under-stimulated, bored, lonely, or feel helplessness. By letting people with cognitive impairments exercise their remaining strengths, the Memory Magic™ Program provides meaningful and person-centered opportunities for engagement, stimulating interaction, and "doing." Our National Institute on Aging-funded research shows significant reductions in problem behaviors while those with dementia are participating in Memory Magic™ vs. traditional activities. At other times, many of these same individuals display negative behaviors such as acting out; displaying verbal abuse; repetitive question-asking; anxiety; wandering; lack of concentration; falling asleep, or leaving the activity. |
Creates an enjoyable failure-free experience
Memory Magic™ is used as a game in which any answer can be treated as correct and everyone wins. Another Montessori principle is to provide sufficient support and cuing to ensure that the activity is failure-free and does not cause frustration or anxiety. The use of contexts and materials including familiar phrases, elements from well-known stories, popular movies, and music from the times when participants were young ensure early, mid and later stage individuals are successful and engaged. Group knowledge of the answers means when one person knows the answer everyone knows the answer. And having the answers on the therapy board to enhance recognition make it certain that someone in the group will call out the answer. But even if they don’t, the Calling Cards include a rhyme as an additional clue. Further, the answer on the Calling Card can be shown to the group. Finally, the shade can be pulled down when the answer is found by matching the answer on the card to the word on the board. So failure is never possible. |
Memory Magic Benefits for Leaders & Staff |
Can use with one participant, or groups of 20+
Presented to residents as a game, The Memory Magic™ Program provides cognitive therapy with one person, dyads, small groups of 3-10 players or larger groups of 10-20 or more participants. Used as a tool to deliver speech and occupational therapy and restorative nursing, up to 4 individuals can participate at the same time. The cognitive therapy exercises a host of cognitive skills including reading, word identification, recall of information from long-term or tertiary memory, singing, and fine and gross motor skills. |
No pieces to lose or hoard
The game boards and cards are self-contained so there is nothing to lose or for participants to walk off with. Unlike other activities there are no small parts or loose cards with which participants can walk off or put into their mouths. The Program Cards are kept in place with a small tab on the reverse side of the board. The tab must be pulled to release the cards for shuffling and set-up. So only staff will be able take out the cards. |
No setup time
Memory Magic™ can be both set up and put away in minutes, ready to use at a moments notice. The set comes complete with 16 sessions ready to go. Take the stackable boards off the shelf; pick a game and set-up each of the boards. After the 60-minute session is complete, push the cards into the boards, stack them up and put them back up on the shelf. You have a cognitively stimulating and enjoyable activity with minimal set-up time. |
Sanitizable
All parts that can be touched by residents may be sanitized for infection control. Use an appropriate wipe to sanitize the plastic Program Boards and the plastic Program Cards inserted into the Program Boards. |
Keeps participants involved for one hour or more
The Memory Magic™ Program is designed for each session to last around 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the amount of discussion around the questions related to each phrase. The patented Program Board makes it easy to just push down on the card and continue the fun with another 30-minute game that will take the activity to 60 minutes total. Only 1-2 staff are required to lead and assist. A higher functioning resident can be trained to lead the group for lower functioning residents. |
Memory Magic Benefits for Administrators |
Can be used successfully in a range of healthcare settings
The Memory Magic™ Program was developed for use in care environments especially for people with cognitive impairments including Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, stroke, head trauma and behavior problems. Designed as rehabilitation for people over the age of 40, Memory Magic was evaluated for outcomes and shown to be successful in skilled nursing general populations and special care units, assisted living facilities, and adult day care centers. |
Can be used throughout the facility
The Memory Magic™ Program is successfully used by a wide variety of staff and departments.
- Activities: Meets new federal guidelines. Used by activity staff, Memory Magic™ meets the new federal guidelines, FTAG 248, for activities. Creative Action’s Comprehensive Training Packages can also be used to meet FTAG 249. As a meaningful and person-centered comprehensive therapeutic intervention, the Memory Magic™ Program will also help staff find out what interests residents have. In skilled nursing facilities, activity care plans for residents must include the presentation of 3 such activities each day.
- Nursing: Achieves quality compliance.
Nurse assistants may use Memory Magic™ with groups of residents while activity staff conduct other programs. Used by nurse assistants on 2nd and 3rd shift, Memory Magic™'s therapeutic programming can be provided 24/7. The Montessori-based approach makes it easy for nurse assistants to use.
- Rehabilitation Therapy: Increases reimbursement levels. Used as a therapeutic device for restorative nursing and speech and occupational therapy, the time spent is Medicare reimbursable. Because Memory Magic™ often attracts residents who generally refuse to participate in therapy, billable hours will be increased.
- Family Members and Volunteers. Family members like Memory Magic™ because it lets them reconnect to a loved one through game play and reminiscing. Family members can use Memory Magic™ during family visits or when a loved one goes home to visit. Volunteers like Memory Magic™ because it’s fun and easy to use.
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Improves job satisfaction and staff efficiency while reducing staff care demand load
Staff like Memory Magic™ because it is easy to use; reduces preparation time for setting up activities and therapy; lets them see residents as real people while reducing the need to stop and redirect due to problem behaviors; and generates positive perceptions of people with dementia. Further, only 1 or 2 staff are needed for engaging groups of 10-20 residents. With the Memory Magic™ Program in place, staff experience fewer frustrations in care delivery. |
