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Books for dementia
Shared reading has significant therapeutic benefits, which is why Younger People with Dementia have worked on publishing a variety of books that we hope will be used by professionals, carers and people living with young onset dementia. Whilst we are a charity working within the community, these books allow us to do something different: to reach a wider audience and raise awareness.
Our charity has written and worked alongside authors to create books that are specially tailored for younger people living with dementia. Our reminiscence books provide a collection of beautiful images and memory prompts, which are specially designed to aid reminiscence in younger people with dementia. Through pictures with relevant text and prompts which evoke age-appropriate memories, the books aid communication, gets people back into reading and keep people feeling connected.
A word from Dr Jacqui Hussey, our founding Trustee who works as a Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist in the Wokingham Memory Clinic.
“Reminiscence books are a resource with things relevant to the people we support with dementia, from their childhood and teenage years. As a reminiscence tool, people can talk about their work. There will be some jobs in here still in existence and some, like the cinema usherette, that don't exist anymore. It’s either for individuals to be able to read and it’s not too much writing and always has a visual prompt.
The charity will run reading groups with maybe seven people and they read together. They take it in turns, discuss each bit and it gets people back into reading that way. The best quote ever was this chap who came along with his wife who had young onset dementia. He phoned us the next day and said: ‘My wife hasn’t read for two years. After the group she went up to the bookshelf, got a book, sat down and we read together.”