In the prayer, I use the names of all family members to keep them lodged in her memory. Sometimes she interrupts to ask how a person is doing. When her triplet great-granddaughters come for a visit, it is as though new life is pumped into her veins. I mentioned the lady who brings her doll to meals. When a real infant is brought into her presence, her face is transformed and she displays a delight of which she had seemed incapable.
Music can have a similar effect.
Groups come from local churches, bringing with them the hymns of the faith. This past Christmas night several of us, including a girl with guitar, went from room to room singing carols. We attend parties on Valentine's Day, on St. Patrick's Day, and on the Fourth of July. We celebrate birthdays. The special hats provided for such occasions seem quite incongruous with the condition of those who wear them.