Thanks to funding by the Watkins Fund ofthe United Church in 2007, St. Michael’s Centre was able to have two specially built ‘busy boxes’ for our residents with dementia. These specially designed drawers for confused residents are used to keep them busy. They have safe rounded corners, drawers that don’t fall out, and are filled with harmless familiar objects for people to touch, handle and use to reminisce about the past. Lisa Tahara, Director of Therapies came up with the idea and together with her Department drew up the plans and list of objects that would fill the drawers.
They can be used to promote activity, conversation, reminiscing, and something to keep “busy hands occupied” in a safe way. Families, friends, volunteers and staff can assist by encouraging residents to open the drawers and to take objects out, to touch and feel them, to talk about them, to put them back and to close the drawers.
