Movies for Alzheimer’s Patients on Valentine’s Day January 31 2014

Enjoying a classic romantic comedy on Valentine’s Day is an enjoyable, passive activity that can provide a variety of benefits for seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Watching a movie is a great resource for entertainment, as well as reminiscence therapy. Memories can be evoked by a particular movie or a favorite Hollywood star. Individuals living with memory loss may also be more communicative and engaged with caregivers and peers—sharing a conversation about the movie, an actor or actress, or the theme of the film. It is important to choose movies that are appropriate for people living with Alzheimer’s disease. For Valentine’s Day, consider choosing a romantic comedy that is fun and upbeat and relatively short in length—under two hours—as with moderate and advanced Alzheimer's disease, an individual may have an extremely short attention span. Below is a list of 20 popular romantic comedies that can accommodate a variety tastes for reminiscing as well as entertainment for people with living with Alzheimer’s disease:

City Lights (1931) Charlie Chaplin struggles to help a blind flower girl he has fallen in love with. (87 min.)

Singin' in the Rain (1952) A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound. (103 min.)

It Happened One Night (1934) A spoiled heiress, running away from her family, is helped by a man who's actually a reporter looking for a story. (105 min.)

Annie Hall (1977) Neurotic New York comedian Alvy Singer falls in love with the ditsy Annie Hall. (93 min.)

His Girl Friday (1940) A newspaper editor uses every trick in the book to keep his ace reporter ex-wife from remarrying. (92 min.)

The Shop Around the Corner (1940) Two employees at a gift shop can barely stand one another, without realizing that they're falling in love through the post as each other's anonymous pen pal. (99 min.)

Bringing Up Baby (1938) While trying to secure a $1 million donation for his museum, a befuddled paleontologist is pursued by a flighty and often irritating heiress and her pet leopard "Baby." (102 min.)

The Philadelphia Story (1940) When a rich woman's ex-husband and a tabloid-type reporter turn up just before her planned remarriage, she begins to learn the truth about herself. (112 min.)

Roman Holiday (1953) A bored and sheltered princess escapes her guardians and falls in love with an American newsman in Rome. (118 min.)

The Lady Eve (1941) A trio of classy card sharks targets the socially awkward heir to brewery millions for his money, till one of them falls in love with him. (94 min.)

Holiday (1938) A young man falls in love with a girl from a rich family. His unorthodox plan to go on holiday for the early years of his life is met with skepticism by everyone except for his fiancée's eccentric sister and long suffering brother. (95 min.)

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) A young New York socialite becomes interested in a young man who has moved into her apartment building. (115 min.)

On the Town (1949) Three sailors on a day of shore leave in New York City look for fun and romance before their twenty-four hours are up. (98 min.)

Adam’s Rib (1949) Domestic and professional tensions mount when a husband and wife work as opposing lawyers in a case involving a woman who shot her husband. (101 min.)

Band Wagon (1953) A pretentiously artistic director is hired for a new Broadway musical and changes it beyond recognition. (112 min.)

The Goodbye Girl (1977) After being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, an unemployed dancer and her 10-year-old daughter are reluctantly forced to live with a struggling off-Broadway actor. (111 min.)

Kiss Me Kate (1953) Fred and Lilly are a divorced pair of actors who are brought together by Cole Porter who has written a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. (109 min.)

Barefoot in the Park (1967) Paul Bratter, a conservative young lawyer, marries a vivacious young woman, Corrie. (106 min.)

Sleepless in Seattle (1993) A recently-widowed man's son calls a radio talk show in an attempt to find his father a partner. (105 min.)

The Pajama Game (1957) Employees of the Sleeptite Pajama Factory are looking for a whopping seven-and-a-half cent an hour increase and they won't take no for an answer. (101 min.)

Shadowbox Press products are developed to provide an easy and effective way to enhance the quality of engagement with seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Our collection of interactive books and conversation cards are designed to evoke memories, prompt conversations, and engage adults in an enjoyable, meaningful activity. For more information or to place your order, call us toll-free at (888) 796-6333.