Health Professions Press Bird Tales: A Program for Engaging People with Dementia Through the Natural World of Birds

Bird Tales is an easy-to-implement therapeutic program that uses multisensory stimulation and the natural outdoor world of birds to help people living with dementia interact with their environment and share a meaningful experience with others. Observing birds through sight, sound, smell and touch can encourage staff and family interactions even in elders with advanced dementia, and lift their mood for the rest of the day! Bird Tales tells you how to create a healthier, more attractive environment at your facility or home, while promoting your participants’ engagement with their environment and providing them with an easy, comforting way to share a moment with others or reminisce about something they’ve enjoyed doing in the past. Now, with this training DVD plus accompanying step-by-step program guide, you will have the tools and information you need to start your own Bird Tales Program! Developed by a dementia care expert and an environmental specialist from the Audubon Society, Bird Tales includes: Captivating video footage demonstrating the best ways to engage participants in a range of Bird Tales activities. Instructions for improving your outdoor environment to attract native birds and maintain a healthy outdoor space. Tips for training facility and activity staff. Solutions for unexpected behaviors or challenging situations that might arise during Bird Tales activities. Lesson plans with suggested themes, venues, modifiable activities, and educator scripts. Bird Tales Activity Cards―use right from the program guide or go the provided URL to print and laminate. Each Bird Tales Activity Card has a beautiful, full-color photo of a common bird on the front and “look, listen, feel” tips on the back. These large vibrant bird photos bring the birds to the person’s lap, making it easier to see the birds up-close. The interesting facts on the back offer useful conversational prompts for those who want to talk about their bird. The plush Audubon™ Birds by Wild Republic® that share their songs with just a gentle squeeze are featured in the video, while the program guide describes how to use them for added sensory stimulation during indoor activities. Participants will delight in the experience of listening to the authentic bird calls inside home or facility. The Audubon birds are readily available for purchase online and through a variety of stores near you. Perfect for activity professionals, social workers and family caregivers looking for an enriching but easy-to-implement activity program for people living with dementia, Bird Tales provides an ideal therapeutic program for a wide variety of settings and participants. With only a pair of binoculars or the printed photographs and activity cards from your program guide, you can run this low-cost program seven days a week inside or outdoors. Think of the connections you can foster by making bird feeders with peanut butter and pine cones, strolling outside in the garden, or viewing photographs together of common backyard birds. With these simple natured-based activities you can help people with dementia benefit from the natural environment and share a joyful activity with others.