In honour of World Book Day, Dementia UK has provided its list of book recommendations to improve care and understanding for people diagnosed with the life-limiting condition.
Rachel Thompson, Consultant Admiral Nurse for Dementia UK, said: “Dementia is a condition which can leave many people in the dark. Questions can centre around how to enter into the world of someone diagnosed with the condition to understand and empathise with what they’re going through. Equally important is understanding the experience of caring for someone with dementia and to highlight that no one is going through this experience alone.
“Reading, whether fiction or non-fiction, can be a great way to increase understanding, as well as providing a useful activity with people with dementia to help stimulate and maintain connections.”
This World Book Day, Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurses have put together a list of their book recommendations to shine a light on the condition.
Helpline Admiral Nurse Helen Green recommended ‘The Little Girl in the Radiator’ by Martin Slevin, based on the author’s experience of caring for his mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia. Through descriptions of events they shared, the author gives an excellent and often humorous insight into the challenges family members face, sharing actions he took to overcome the symptoms and behaviours his mother experienced.
Again from the perspective of a child caring for their parent, ‘Afloat’ by Nigel Baines was the book recommended by Consultant Admiral Nurse Emily Oliver. Nigel describes the highs and lows of caring for his mother with dementia, from diagnosis to post-bereavement, reflecting on childhood memories and intertwining moments of both humour and sorrow.
Dementia UK’s Helpline Admiral Nurse, Pat Brown, suggests ‘Telling tales about Dementia- Experiences of caring’, edited by Lucy Whitman. This book is a sharing of stories, as told by 30 family carers, each of whom have had a different lived experience of caring for a person with dementia.
‘And Still the Music Plays’ by Graham Stokes is Helpline Admiral Nurse Vicky Wheele’s pick. Each chapter tells a true story of a person’s experiences of living with dementia. Graham retells these moving stories in an empathetic way, investigating each person’s historical life experiences to find reasoning for their individual behaviours.
For anyone who has any questions around supporting a person with dementia to read or who needs advice around the complexities of dementia, you can contact the Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or by emailinghelpline@dementiauk.org.
