Category: Health & Wellness

Caring for a loved one is a tough job, one that many of us take on willingly with love and honor. There are so many things to worry about—physical and mental difficulties, financial and legal issues, and day-to-day care. When you are caring for a loved one with dementia you’re looking at unique challenges. Being a caregiver for someone with dementia can be frustrating, exhausting, and just plain lonely. When someone you care for has dementia, you’re also living with it, but you’re not alone.

How the Library Can Help

The Library can offer connection:

  • to information
  • to resources
  • to entertainment
  • to respite and self-care

There is so much information out there about Alzheimer’s disease and dementias. There are news sources, social media, even your neighbor down the street. What source do you trust? Which information do you pick? Using the Library can connect you to trusted sources in a way that’s convenient for you.

Library Programs

Dementia Resources in the Library Catalog

The Library catalog includes book lists created by staff to help you navigate the sometimes overwhelming amount of material available. If you see a book you like, you can find out where it’s located. If it isn’t at your neighborhood branch you can place a hold and have it sent to the branch that’s most convenient for you.

Articles about Dementia in Online Databases

Another way to find information is by searching online databases that the Library subscribes to with your Library card. Many times the latest research or resource is available in a magazine or journal article. Through the databases, you can find an articles that could help with a specific challenge or interest. For example, browse the results of this search for articles about music therapy and Alzheimer’s published in the last five years.

What makes this even more convenient is that the book lists, The Library’s catalog, and the articles can all be reached through your home computer, your tablet, or your smartphone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Reading Aloud

Reading aloud with your adult loved one improves family bonds and fosters cooperation, just like when you read to children. Many programs in memory care involve reading aloud or looking at picture books to improve cognition, memory, and quality of life.

Picture books, especially with larger type and fewer words, are often easier to see and understand. Did you read classics like The Very Hungry Caterpillar when you were a child? You can read this again and share your memories with your loved one.

In addition to children’s books, people with dementia also enjoy coffee-table books and travel books filled with photographs and illustrations. Books like Penguins by Frans Lanting or Indianapolis: Then and Now by Nelson Price provide large photographs that can stimulate conversation and memories for both the loved one with dementia and their caregivers.

If you feel you can’t get to a Library location, you can choose e-book picture books to download to your computer or mobile device through OverDrive, Hoopla, or the TumbleBooks Library.

e-Books & Streaming

Download and stream millions of e-books, movies, music, and more instantly for free with your Library card. No late fees, no worries.

Please visit e-Book & Streaming Help for detailed information about how to use our digital collections and get ideas to make the most of your Library card at home.

Need help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our  locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. The Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Magazines

Books aren’t the only place you can look for colorful pictures and photographs; magazines are a great resource. Most back issues of magazines can be checked out at branch locations. There is a large number of magazines available for viewing and downloading online through OverDrive Magazines.

Reading aloud together, looking at books and pictures together can provide not only connection with your loved one, but a respite for both of you while caring for a loved one with dementia.

Music

Whether it’s music from the past or a catchy tune, it’s heartening to see a friend or loved one living with dementia respond to a piece of music, sometimes by moving or swaying to a Motown beat, other times by singing all the verses to Silent Night, remembering all the words when many of us couldn’t get past the first few lines.

While you may think of the public library as a connection to the wider world through books, it’s also a connection through music.

With a Library card, you can:

  • Borrow a wide variety of music on CDs, from early classical to the latest hip hop, and everything in between.
  • Borrow and stream a wide variety of music directly to your computer or mobile device through Hoopla without being on a waiting list or waiting for your branch to open.
  • The library’s connection with music extends to free live concerts & performances throughout the year. See our schedule of music performances.

It’s an opportunity for an outing that doesn’t involve tickets, dressing up, or an entire evening’s commitment; time watching beautiful music made in a comfortable setting, which could make the afternoon caring for a loved one with dementia enjoyable for both of you.

  • Event: Franklin Road Library 25th Anniversary Celebration
  • Date & Time: Saturday, February 22, 10:00am
  • Location: Franklin Road Branch
  • Description: Join us to help celebrate as Franklin Road turns 25! The celebration will include a family storytime, a presentation on the history of the Branch, music from the Franklin Central Orchestra ensembles, a scavenger hunt, and more!
  • No Registration Required.
  • Event: Lunar New Year Festival
  • Date & Time: Saturday, February 22, 12:00pm
  • Location: Central Library
  • Description: The Indiana Association of Chinese Americans (IACA), Indianapolis Chinese Performing Arts, Inc (ICPAI), and Purdue University will host a Lunar New Year Festival at Central Library. Come join us in celebrating the year of the snake!
  • Register Here
  • Event: Circulating Sound Concert
  • Date & Time: Saturday, February 22, 2:00pm
  • Location: Southport Branch
  • Description: Join us for a concert featuring local legends, the Cohen-Rutkowski Project. Whether you know them from the Jazz Kitchen or are excited to hear them for the first time, join us to hear this jazz ensemble right in your Library!
  • No Registration Required.
  • Event: Circulating Sound Concert
  • Date & Time: Saturday, March 01, 2:00pm
  • Location: Irvington Branch
  • Description: Join us for a concert featuring Encomium Ensemble, a 3 member group that plays a unique blend of early music. These musicians play a variety of unique instruments (like the Viola da Gamba, Tenor Vielle, 7 String Bass Guitar, Lute, Irish whistle, and more), and highlight tunes from around the world.
  • No Registration Required.

Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text, or email Ask-a-Librarian.

salad

Would you like to to mix up your usual rotation of tried-and true recipes? Would you like to more about healthy and sustainable cooking? Join us for an upcoming cooking class or explore our collection of recipe books, e-books, and e-magazines.

Cooking Programs

Teen: Cookies & Careers…
A Taste of History…
  • Event: A Taste of History
  • Date & Time: Sunday, February 23, 2:00pm
  • Location: Central Library
  • Description: Join us for an in-person presentation at Central Library to explore a selection of local cookbooks and menus from the Indianapolis Special Collections Room (ISCR).
  • Register Here
Teen: Cookies & Careers…

Get New York Times Cooking – free with your Library card!

Did you know that your library card gives you free 24-hour access to the recipes in the New York Times? You must first create a New York Times account if you don’t already have one.

  1. Visit The New York Times: Cooking
  2. Enter your library card barcode number and click “Get Code.”
  3. Click “Redeem” to submit your randomly generated access code.
  4. Since you need to have a New York Times online account to use the code, the next step prompts you to create an account, which is free, or to log in to your existing account.
  5. You now have access to the New York Times for 24 hours. After the 24 hours are up, you may redeem another code for 24-hour access. Enjoy!

Borrow e-cookbooks, foodie e-magazines and movies from home!

Use your library card to check out cookbooks, magazines, and movies from home. Take a trip around the world from your kitchen with these e-books featuring an array of international recipes. There are over 3,000 e-cookbooks available for check out on Hoopla and 3,500 MORE cookbooks to choose from in OverDrive.

And if the e-cookbooks aren’t enough, check out Flipster, an online service you can use to check out magazines like Food and Wine, Cooking Light, or Allrecipes.

Still looking for ideas? There are over 300 foodie movies in Kanopy. The category Cooking ranges from Supersize Me To American Masters: James Beard America’s First Foodie and includes topics like winemaking and sustainable food habits.

If you have never used any of these online services before you can get help on download and streaming.

Get reading recommendations from our staff.

Browse these featured cookbook recommendation lists created by IndyPL staff to unlock some recipe inspiration, enjoy a chef’s memoir, and more. Find more delicious reads by browsing our complete collection of staff cookbook recommendations.

“Running! If there’s any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can’t think of what it might be.”

—Joyce Carol Oates

Check out these ideas for inspirational books, music, movies and local opportunities to jump start your training season running in Indianapolis.

Local Races and Great Places to Run

If you’re interested in training for a 5K or half marathon, there are lots of local resources to help you get ready. The Indy YMCAs offer training programs – check their website for more information. The National Institute for Fitness and Sport, right here in Indianapolis, also offers half marathon training.

There are a number of groups in the city devoted to fitness and running that are free and welcoming! Check out Black Girls Run, November Project, Black Men Run, and Indy Runners.

Many local running stores also offer training as well as free group runs. Ask them about what they might offer.

Once you’re ready to race, look for events on these online calendars:

Running Paths Near Libraries

Pair a good run with a Library visit! Many of our locations are within a short distance of excellent places to run, making running in Indianapolis even more fun!

There are races practically every weekend too, from 5Ks to full marathons and triathlons. So what are you waiting for? Lace up your shoes and start running! Browse the running books below to inspire you or queue up an audiobook or some new music – free with your IndyPL library card!

New Titles for Runners

I like to read about running as much as I like to run! Here are some new titles in our collection for fans and students of the sport.

Title - How to Run the Perfect RaceTitle - RunDisneyTitle - All You Need Is Rhythm & GritTitle - The Examined RunTitle - To the GorgeTitle - Step Up!Title - The Boston Marathon HandbookTitle - The Race Against TimeTitle - Better, Faster, FartherTitle - TRAILS AND TRIBULATIONSTitle - Brief Flashings in the Phenomenal WorldTitle - Ultrarunning for Normal People

Major life changes can be difficult to experience alone. Are you experiencing a transition and need guidance? Join us at one of our upcoming Community Resource Fairs at The Indianapolis Public Library! Meet more than 100 local community resource organizations at various branches throughout summer and fall. Learn about services related to homeless resources, employment, medical screenings, mental health, substance abuse, and teen & youth services.

The Library’s Social Service Action Committee organizes the fairs. Established in 2021, the committee forms partnerships with community organizations and provides quality programming, resources, connections with services, and outreach for people experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis.

Meet us at a Community Resource Fair near you!

Join us for our 2024 Community Resource Fairs! This free and open to the public event brings together community members from all backgrounds to receive support with medical screenings, mental health, housing, employment, substance abuse recovery, and teen & youth needs. Stop by to connect with local providers who are committed to helping you. 

Take home a free emergency kit while supplies last. Drop in and discover the resources available to you in Marion County in one convenient place. 

Our Library’s Social Work office is available to help you year-round. Learn more about Social Services at The Library.

Learn about providers committed to helping you with the following needs:

  • Medical Screenings
  • Mental Health
  • Housing
  • Employmnet
  • Substance Abuse Recovery
  • Teen & Youth Needs

If you can’t make it to a fair, check out these resources compiled by Library staff:

Explore these additional community resources.

Adults comforting a worried child.

We want all children to grow up without fear, but know that even while they are still very young, children will experience stressful and traumatic situations. Events in the news can cause children who are aware of them anxiety or fear. It is comforting and empowering to know that there are skills children can learn to help them cope. And there are experts who can help us teach them. These experts can support us helping children cope with tragic events.

The books and resources listed below are designed by early childhood experts to help you talk through fear and anxiety with your child. It is clear from the resources we have gathered that one of the best things we can all do is simply reassure children that many people – their family, their teachers, their neighbors, the people at daycare or church, or the library, love and care about them and are looking out for their safety.

Favorite stories can also be steadfast old friends to count on in times of trouble. Open a book. Start to read. Hold them close and revisit old friends together; Curious George, Arthur, The Little Engine That Could. Find the books in the bookcase with the dog-eared pages and the tell-tale bite marks on the spine; the ones you can probably recite without looking at the pages. Choose the one with the coffee ring on the cover for having been on the bedside table every night. Take advantage of the comfort and security that time spent with you and a good book can provide.

Helping Children Cope with Tragic Events: Professional Advice

Helping Children Cope with Tragic Events: Sesame Street Traumatic Experiences Guide

The experts at Sesame Street have put together an online coping guide called Traumatic Experiences to help adults explain community violence to young children. The guide includes a variety of helpful videos that show familiar Muppet characters modeling various coping strategies. The guide also provides practical ideas for helping children cope with tragic events. Related tools include storybooks, activities, and printables.

Violence in Communities

Violence in Communities (también disponible en español: Violencia En La Comunidad) In this video, Rosita comes to Allan upset after hearing that somebody hurt a lot of people. Allan’s skilled responses are shared in the printable guide Troubling Times that provides helpful advice for answering some of the most challenging questions children ask. What happened? Why did these people do bad things? Will the bad people come to hurt us? Will this happen again?

Stand Tall Together

Stand Tall Together (también disponible en español: Con la cabeza erguida) In this video Big Bird learns how movement can help focus a person’s mind when it is overwhelmed with big feelings. Big Bird learns the tree pose to help himself feel steady and confident. You can follow along with the video and use this tree pose printable to model this self-calming technique.

Super Grover’s Super Pose

Super Grover’s Super Pose (también disponible en español: La pose de poder de Súper Grover) In this video Super Grover shows how holding his body in a confident manner and saying encouraging things to himself can help ease his worry and anxiety. Even Super Grover doesn’t always feel super, but doing these self-care techniques helps him remind himself, “I am super!”

Big Bird’s Comfy Cozy Nest

Big Bird’s Comfy Cozy Nest In this video Big Bird is feeling lots of things all mixed together and he doesn’t know what to do with them. He feels sad, angry, confused, and anxious. Big Bird learns a self-calming technique imagining a safe place in which he can feel calm and peaceful. Big Bird’s Nest includes helpful conversation prompts and Let’s Play Activity Book offers several ideas to help children explore their emotions as well as a storybook version of “Imagine a Safe Place with Big Bird” in both English and Spanish.

Count, Breath, Relax

Count, Breath, Relax Learn a simple self-calming technique with the Count and Cookie Monster by slowly blowing out pretend birthday cake candles.

Care, Copy & Connect

Care, Cope & Connect is a printable online guide to help adults comfort and support kids going through community stress. It includes ideas to help kids feel safe and secure, activity pages, and self-care tips for parents and caregivers. It is available in Korean and Arabic.

Books

When children are afraid, it is common for them to fear being separated from their trusted adults. Three stories that are particularly good for talking about coping with separation anxiety are Owl Babies. Llama Llama Misses Mama, and The Kissing Hand. Just click on one of the book covers to watch the story in a video read aloud. I Am Peace a Book of Mindfulness and Bee Calm the Buzz on Yoga also might be helpful for practicing self-calming techniques.

title - Bee Calmtitle - I Am Peacetitle - The Kissing Handtitle - Llama Llama Misses Mamatitle - Owl Babies

More Books You Can Check Out to Help Children Cope

When young children are feeling scared, it can be helpful to read a book together that helps talk with them about their anxious feelings; or helps answer questions about difficult topics like violence or tragic events children hear about on the news. Below are several sensitive and insightful children’s stories that address separation fear, anxiety, and grief. These stories can help children learn to recognize and name these emotions, they can offer reassurance, and they can provide ideas for helping children (and you) cope.

Title - Come With MeTitle - On the NewsTitle - One Thursday AfternoonTitle - Beat, Beat, ThumpTitle - When Sadness Is at your DoorTitle - What to Do When the News Scares YouTitle - Something Happened in Our TownTitle - A Friend for Yoga BunnyTitle - Lubna and PebbleTitle - Little Anxious CatTitle - Pig and Horse and the Something ScaryTitle - The Rabbit Listened

Need more help? Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations or call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian. Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Indianapolis has a rich cycling history as the birthplace of Marshall “Major” Taylor, an American professional cyclist. Taylor won the sprint event at the 1889 World Track Championships. He became the first African American to win a cycling world championship. Get to know Major Taylor’s story and then learn more about bicycling in Indianapolis. Get reading recommendations as well as tips for new riding routes!

The Center for Black Literature & Culture hosted an online presentation about Marshall “Major” Taylor by Michael Kranish. Watch Kranish, author of, The World’s Fastest Man: the extraordinary life of cyclist Major Taylor, America’s First Black Sports Hero. share Taylor’s journey.

Indianapolis Velodrome

The velodrome in Indianapolis is named in honor of Major Taylor. It was the first building in the city built with public funds to be named for an African American. Indianapolis won a bid to host the 1982 National Sports Festival. Since the city was short a natatorium, a track stadium and a velodrome, all three venues were built! This was possible thanks to a partnership between the Indianapolis Parks and Recreation Department and the Lilly Endowment.

In 1987, Indianapolis hosted the tenth Pan American Games. The Velodrome played host to all the track cycling events. Afterwards, the Velodrome hosted many other events including: US Olympic Festival, Junior Track Nationals; Elite Track Nationals; Masters Track Nationals; and Collegiate Track Nationals.

In recent years the venue has suffered a slow and steady decline in condition and usage. Neighboring Marian University (whose nationally ranked cycling team practices and competes at the Indy Cycloplex) has joined with Indy Parks and Recreation Department to resurrect the Velodrome as a part of the comprehensive Indy Cycloplex facility. The project is creating a new, brighter history for the property as well as a brighter future for bicycling in Indianapolis.

Learn more about Major Taylor in Kaelynn Hayes’ Racing in the Velodrome from Discover Indiana, a statewide project that makes cultural and historical information available to the public. Finally, check out all the cycling options here in Indy in How to Explore America’s Most Underrated Biking City.

A sampling from the Major Taylor photo gallery:

Featured Book List: Cycling Books

I am a lifelong cyclist and enjoy sharing my love for the sport with others.

Title - Bicycling for LadiesTitle - Cycling on FormTitle - Outpedaling "the Big C"Title - RevolutionsTitle - Epic Bike Rides of EuropeTitle - Ride InsideTitle - The Cycling ChefTitle - Epic Bike Rides of the WorldTitle - Epic Bike Rides of the AmericasTitle - Cuba by BikeTitle - The Beautiful RaceTitle - Women on the Move

National Bike Month

Cycling fans – celebrate National Bike Month and take these books and movies for a spin! #IndyPLAdults

Title - The Cycling BibleTitle - On Freedom RoadTitle - You Are My SunshineTitle - Breaking AwayTitle - Best Bike Rides in New EnglandTitle - Two Wheels GoodTitle - The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the WorldTitle - One Day in AprilTitle - The Total Bicycling ManualTitle - Cycling Atlas North AmericaTitle - Changing GearsTitle - Breathtaking