The Quarryville Library Center, 357 Buck Road, Quarryville, now has a Memory Care bag available for patrons to check out from the library.

The Memory Care bag is designed to help people with dementia or other cognitive impairments remember things and have conversations with loved ones. A range of practical exercises is included in the themed kit to encourage mental and emotional stimulation. The kit is designed to elicit any kind of response; it is critical to validate the response regardless of what it is.

The Memory Care bag includes Golden Memories prompt cards, the Songbird Serenity game, Painting for the Soul paintable sheets, a fidget blanket, and the book "The 36-Hour Day." The kit must be picked up at and returned to Quarryville Library specifically.

About 7.2 million Americans age 65 or older live with Alzheimer's. This figure is nearly double the 2015 figure. One of the primary drivers of the increase in Alzheimer's is the global aging population; as life expectancy rises, more individuals reach ages where the risk of Alzheimer's significantly increases. Increased awareness, early diagnosis, genetic factors, and environmental exposures all add to the increased rate.

The library's hours are Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the library, visit http://www.quarryvillelibrary.org.