Tying in ancient customs, notes about when and where the text was written, the biography of the writer, etc., makes this time more interesting to them. Some participants may not be Bible believers, but they are interested in the Bible as a historical document.If any of your participants are able to read, ask them to read aloud be prepared to stop them at the point where you want to start discussing (“excellent, you can stop right there thank you!”).įor many passages, I’ve included a bit of background information, for two reasons:
These Bible studies are designed to go verse by verse, sometimes almost word by word, to avoid tackling too big of a chunk of text.
“That’s right, Marge, mothers are so important to us and to God! And God often acts in a motherly way, caring for us no matter what.”.If someone answers a question or bursts in with nonsensical “word salad,” simply nod and affirm any single word you may hear. If someone says they’re looking for their mother, don’t tell them their mom is dead affirm their love for their mom. When people with dementia speak, always use validation, not correction. (The questions “who here has led a perfect life?” and “who here has never had any problems?” always get a laugh.) But for people with dementia, I think it’s important to focus on God’s comfort, forgiveness, and promises of love and eternal presence. Don’t get me wrong: My groups have often discussed suffering, hardship, and guilt, because these are universal experiences. I don’t suggest tackling anything that’s super confusing, scary, or harsh. ( Gideon’s Bibles include only the New Testament and Psalms.) Many of the Psalms also work beautifully, with deep truths expressed in heartfelt language.
#PRINTABLE SHORT STORIES FOR SENIORS WITH DEMENTIA HOW TO#
Paul’s instructions to the early churches, which brim with practical encouragements on how to treat people and how to cling to God. I tend to stick to the New Testament, especially the Gospels and some of St. And I truly believe that the Holy Spirit ministers to people with dementia in ways we can’t imagine. Your goal is that people would feel encouraged and loved by you and by God. Your attendees likely won’t remember the text by the time you’ve finished the closing prayer, but they may well have a lingering sense of God’s presence, enjoying people’s company, and feeling affirmed as contributors in a group. You don’t even have to make it through the whole passage. Remember that this is about personal interaction with one another, not hammering in a biblical point. The main thing in leading a Bible study with a group of elders with dementia is: Go with the flow. Without these basic functions, how can you expect to have a group discussion about a biblical text, complete with theological principles, that follows a storyline or poetic structure? First of all: Relax After all, so many people with dementia have lost part or all of their language ability, not to mention significant cognitive capacity. Whenever I tell people that I lead Bible studies for people with dementia, I always get a slightly puzzled look and a pause while people think about how to ask their question without sounding insensitive: You’ll find numerous Bible study guides on this site, but you may still have questions about how to do it, especially if you’ve never led a Bible study before.