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The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multicriteria decision support system that has been successfully applied to numerous decision-making situations, has been applied to patient assessment. The AHP was used with Timeslips™, a group storytelling program that encourages creative expression among dementia patients, to determine the optimal scale for pre and post assessment among the nine most common agitation and anxiety scales. The AHP used the six criteria identified by qualitative assessment of the nine scales: (1) validity/reliability, (2) observation period, (3) training required, (4) time to administer, (5) most appropriate administrator, and (6) accessibility/cost. The AHP indicated that the Overt Agitation & Anxiety Scale was optimal for use with Timeslips; the process and results are discussed.

Persons living with dementia (PLWD) constitute a global epidemic of more than 50 million people around the world, and tens of millions more serve as their caregivers. Public libraries must learn to assist, support, and sustain those with dementia in their communities. The good news is that some of the most powerful non-pharmacological interventions for PLWD – healthy lifestyle choices, lifelong learning for mental stimulation, and the stimulation and support of social networks – all are embedded in public libraries’ core mission. Thus, library services for the underserved population of PLWD and their caregivers can make a huge collective impact toward sustainable communities, social justice, and strong institutions.

Libraries can provide this help through dementia-friendly customer service and through programming that both supports individuals and develops and strengthens social relationships. Libraries can further promote good health and well-being, both through information resources and with targeted older adult programming. We can simultaneously contribute to social justice, mitigating the stigma and the deleterious effects of dementia which can be worse within minority communities. The positive impact of library dementia services can even be magnified through collective impact when different institutions within a community work together toward dementia-friendly standards.

This reflective chapter details the operation of library services for PLWD and their caregivers, providing concrete examples of dementia-friendly customer service, collection development, information and reference services, and a wide variety of older adult programming. Together, these library dementia services can create a powerful and positive impact through lifelong learning, mental stimulation, and social connections.