Reading2Connect Community Forum

Hi Cathy! Great question.

I wish I could give a long list of sources exploring the reading capacities of people living with dementia, but there are barely a handful. Sadly, the relationship between reading and dementia is barely touched in academia or senior care. In fact, libraries are the group that is grasping this concept most quickly and understanding its critical piece in the social/emotional wellbeing of people living with dementia.

I don't think we've fully done what we can to promote use of this collection, but in the interactions I've had where I recommended the books to patrons, I've noticed a lot of doubt that their loved one would be capable of reading and enjoying the books. When patrons have doubts about their own enjoyment of a book, I remind them that they aren't required to finish reading anything they don't enjoy and that the library is free so it's a great way to try the books they are unsure about. In this situation though, it feels like overstepping a little. I don't usually know the person they'd be checking Reading2Connect books out for, and maybe they are correct and their loved one's condition really is too advanced. I don't want to be pushy.