Godly Play For Alzheimer’s Patients

February 9, 2014
Weston Matthews

In the Diocese of Lexington, Godly Play traditionally has been used for young children in Christian formation. Now, Deacon Lois Howard is adapting Godly Play for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Lois describes the purpose in Key Resources from the Center for Ministry of Teaching at Virginia Seminary:

To be a loving, accepting presence to often-forgotten people.

To provide a worshipful experience of Bible stories and music.

To ask questions that may encourage the participants to remember incidents and people from their earlier years.

To encourage some kind of response to the story—though it won’t necessarily be a verbal response.

To possibly bring back people’s memories and feelings, no matter how short their memory, by using words they can connect with.

For more on Godly play and Alzheimer’s recovery, read the two-part article from Key Resources at VTS.

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Mary Caulfield

February 9, 2014 7:35 pm

Thanks for this! As a Lay Eucharistic Visitor and long-time student / lover of Godly Play, I’ve always felt there might be a way to bring the two together.

Chris Hamby

February 9, 2014 11:02 am

Thanks did sharing this amazing story Weston. Lois is one of the best Godly Play teachers in our church, a blessing for the great Diocese of Lexington

Ann Fontaine

February 9, 2014 8:42 am

At St. Catherine’s in Nehalem/Manzanita OR we have been taking Godly Play to the Care Center when we do our hymns and prayers service once a month. People who are not noticeably interactive most of the time – pay attention to the story.

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