NEWSPAPER HATS

A little girl adds a touch of familiarity to her grandfather’s world during a loving visit to his nursing home.

Grandpa’s memory loss is a concern for Georgie, who continually asks him “do you remember me?” Content to reread his pile of old newspapers, Grandpa seems to recall only his earlier life, marked by the photographs in his room. His memories of warm, buttered bread with honey or of a more frightening time in the Army are some of his most vivid. One photograph of Georgie wearing a newspaper hat sparks a memory of folding paper hats, something he acknowledges he remembers how to do. Together they make hats and pass them out to some of the other residents who are enjoying the home’s garden, and when the wind blows Grandpa’s hat away, he remembers how to make another one. Soft, pale watercolors and pencil drawings reflect both a fading memory and the tender joy a granddaughter can provide through a shared activity. Endpapers covered with newspaper clippings bearing iconic headlines of the last half of the 20th century indicate, for adult readers, what this elder has known. Georgie, Grandpa, and the other characters are all depicted with pale skin.

This gentle, brief, and touching story introduces the challenges of interacting with a family member living with dementia and will spark some discussion for families in this situation.