New dementia activity book uses rhythm and timing to help caregivers reconnect

Author and educator Matthew Glavach, Ph.D., has introduced a rhythm-based dementia activity book designed to reduce agitation and support connection between caregivers and loved ones. The approach leans on timing and beat exercises that Glavach says can work without screens, software or expensive tools.

Why it matters: - Dementia care often leaves families with activity books that distract but do not help restore calm or connection. - Glavach’s approach targets rhythm and timing, which may remain accessible even as language and other abilities decline. - The method is designed to give caregivers a low-cost, practical tool for daily interaction.

What happened: - Matthew Glavach, Ph.D., an author and educator in Cloverdale, California, created a new dementia activity book centered on rhythm, timing and gentle cognitive engagement. - Glavach said the work was shaped by the death of his wife of 45 years to dementia three years ago. - The book, Brain Fitness, Processing Speed and Reaction Time, is now available on Amazon.

The details: - The book uses simple beat-based exercises intended to reduce agitation and help caregivers and loved ones reconnect. - Glavach says rhythm is one of the last abilities the brain retains as dementia progresses. - The book is meant to support slowing cognitive decline, anchoring attention, movement and gait, reducing agitation, strengthening speech rhythm and boosting reaction speed. - Glavach said families testing early versions reported calmer evenings and more willingness to participate. - The approach is meant to avoid the cost and friction of screen-based tools, software and logins. - A caregiver said the book has helped her grandmother become less upset at night and has turned into a fun activity for the family. - The caregiver described the experience as “such an answered prayer.”

Between the lines: - The book is positioned as more than entertainment and more than a traditional cognitive exercise. - Glavach is trying to turn a basic feature of human coordination — timing — into a caregiving tool that feels accessible and emotionally supportive. - The pitch also reframes dementia activity design around connection, not just stimulation. - Glavach points to timing as a brain function distributed across networks, with the cerebellum serving as a hub for interval timing. - He says that hub affects attention, motor coordination, speech rhythm and emotional steadiness. - Glavach cites the ACTIVE Study as evidence that speed-of-processing training can help over time, but notes that the research focused on cognitively healthy adults and screen-based tasks. - The book is presented as filling that gap for people already living with dementia.

What's next: - Glavach hopes the book will inspire more authors, therapists and caregivers to explore rhythm-based engagement. - He sees the book as the first published activity entry in an emerging category of dementia care. - Glavach says the broader goal is to build a new movement in dementia care around rhythm and timing.

The bottom line: - Glavach is betting that a steady beat can do what many dementia activity books do not: help families feel close again.