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News
Friends expand reading program in Sun City
Program rebooted after COVID
Submitted photo
Friends of the Sun City Library volunteer readers, facility officials and memory care residents at the opening day of reading at the Gardens of Sun City, 17225 N. Boswell Blvd.
By Irene Nathanson, Friends of the Sun City Libraries
The Friends of Sun City Libraries in June relaunched their Read to Me program at Woodmark of Sun City Legacy Center, 17207 N. Boswell Blvd.
There, volunteers are busy presenting 30-minute interactive reading sessions to memory care residents on a weekly basis. The Read to Me program, originally called Book Friends, was shut down during the COVID pandemic in 2020.
The Friends board of directors expended the program to include The Gardens of Sun City, 17225 N. Boswell Blvd. Sabina Mujanovic, The Gardens activity director, facilitated getting the Read to Me program into The Gardens. Volunteers will now be scheduled to read aloud to residents in their memory care unit.
The Read to Me program currently has eight active and seven pending volunteer readers who were screened and fully oriented in providing interactive reading experiences. Interactive reading, a unique read-aloud activity for memory-challenged seniors, differs from traditional reading. This creative intervention emphasizes reading shorter passages rather than entire stories, and focuses on engaging audiences more fully.
Brief readings are often interspersed with poetry, a song, discussion, quotes and showing of large colorful pictures. The read aloud method easily stimulates memories and imagination. In addition, it encourages interaction, improves mood and brings joy to adults in various stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
This shared activity also brings fun relaxation to both residents and readers.
The Friends of Sun City Libraries and Read to Me volunteers look ahead to future growth of the program.
Email CoordinateFriends@gmail.com.
The Friends organization provides support to the two Maricopa County Library District facilities in the community. They also operate a nonprofit book store, Books Around the Corner, located inside the Sun City Library Bell branch, 16828 N. 99th Ave.
Visit SunCityLibraryFriends.org.
Editor’s Note: We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
