The Park City Library wants those who have been diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer’s or memory loss, and their caregivers, to put its first memory-friendly luncheon of the year on their calendars. The library hosts these free luncheons quarterly, and the first one of the year is scheduled for 1 p.m. on March 27, said Adult Services Librarian Rylee Broach. “So far, we’ve successfully hosted these luncheons since 2024, and we’d love to reach an even broader audience,” she said. “(These events) aim to combat isolation, provide education and offer entertainment for individuals with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other memory loss conditions.” Registration is now open at tinyurl.com/4ep7mvn6, and there is no deadline. “The library is a safe place to bring loved ones in to look up resources, and the luncheon is an event where people can come and feel comfortable and be themselves,” Broach said. “We also want to create a safe and comfortable space where caregivers can connect with each other and know that they are supported.” The library doesn’t host these luncheons alone, Broach said. “We partner with Jewish Family Services and Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG) Aging and Family Services to do this,” she said. “I was inspired to partner with them, because the library has a memory-care collection for people who have dementia and Alzheimer’s. I looked around the community to see what other organizations and resources are out there. I found both of them and saw how much work they do in our community.” Broach said the partnerships help the library expand the reach of these memory-care items into the community. The Park City Library offers Memory Reminiscence kits for check out. These kits, geared to help jog the memory of those who have been diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, features an array of flash cards, photographs and a DVD. Credit: Photo courtesy of Rylee Broach “They are so knowledgeable about this particular topic, and they have so many resources that the library may not have,” she said. “So, we share resources with our community members, and they can connect families with people who deal with things through different programming, like caregiver support groups. It’s really important that we’re able to reach different people in the community with these luncheons to let them know what we offer.” Items include: Launchpads — easy to use tablets loaded with brain games Wonderbooks — books that will read aloud along with readers Fiction and non-fiction books — books with large print, illustrations and/or photos centered on a similar theme Memory Reminiscence kits — created to help those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia by triggering special memories of life experiences Board games — games that involve memory and conversations about life experiences, feelings and values while building closer relationships. “One of my favorites is our Memory Reminiscence kits,” Broach said. “These kits have flash cards, photos and questions, as well as a DVD that contains different images, sounds and songs.”  These kits also cover different topics — like seasons and decades — to evoke memory, joy and happiness, she said. “I have used them before and they are super fun because you get to talk with someone about things you might normally not talk about,” Broach said.  New items in the library’s memory-care collection include fidget toys and aqua-paint kits. “Aqua paint allows people to just paint with water, so it’s mess free, but the art still shows up in color,” Broach said. “We also have a lot of books for caregivers as well. They are good resources about dementia and Alzheimer’s. We were able to expand our memory-care collection within the past few months, so we’re super excited to offer a ton of new items.” The items are offered both in English and Spanish and can be checked out through the Park City Library and the Summit County Library through an inter-library system, according to Broach. “If someone has a Summit County Library card but not a Park City Library card, they can request an item through the system, and we would loan that item to the Summit County Library so that person could check out that item free of charge,” she said. The Park City Library’s memory-care collection items include books, games, photographs and other resources available for check out. Credit: Photo courtesy of Rylee Broach The March 27 luncheon will be held in the Community Room, located on the Park City Library’s third floor, Broach said. “MAG organizes the lunch, and it is different every time,” she said. “We’ve had Café Rio cater, and we have also had finger sandwiches and snacks. So, it varies each time, and as we get closer to the event, we’ll set up the menu.” Attendees will enjoy the lunch, socialize and participate in a memory activity, according to Broach. “We have three activities and we rotate them during the different luncheons,” she said. Those activities include memory-friendly games, which utilizes the library’s memory-care collection, art projects and sing-alongs, set up by Jewish Family Service Arts Aging Coordinator Emily Christensen. “Emily created a booklet with different songs and lyrics, and she would sing and play the guitar while we would all sing with her,” Broach said. “The activity we’ll do in March will be games.” Although no one in Broach’s immediate family has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or memory loss, a close family friend’s mother had Alzheimer’s. “I got to see what my friend and her mother went through from the very beginning, and it was so hard for them to go through,” she said. “My friend had to learn so many things and find different resources to help.” One of the goals for the luncheon is to provide these types of resources, Broach said. “MAG and Jewish Family Service can connect you with resources, education and even help people who are out of state find resources in their states,” she said. “I think this is something that is so needed in our community. It’s such a hard thing because there is so much that is still unknown. But I think it’s becoming so much more common. So many people I’ve talked with have personal experiences with dementia, Alzheimer’s and memory loss. I know it’s so hard to have to go through. So I’m glad there is more research.”Memory-friendly Luncheon When: 1 p.m., March 27 Where: Park City Library, 1255 Park Ave. Cost: Free Registration: tinyurl.com/4ep7mvn6 Web: parkcitylibrary.org, jfsutah.org and magutah.gov  The post Registration open for the first memory-friendly luncheon of 2026 appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less