10. Reading: An Overlooked Way to Connection
- Susan Ostrowski, Co-Creator/Owner Reading2Connect®
- Nov 12
- 4 min read
Resources
Before diving into this article, Reading: An Overlooked Way to Connection, here are a few fabulous resources worthy of attention:
Libraries Transforming Communities!
The American Library Association and Association of Rural and Small Libraries are offering grants to libraries looking to expand patron outreach and build stronger community partnerships.
Nursing Homes Enriching Lives!
At no cost to your Nursing Home, Reading2Connect will complete your CMP Grant application so that you may receive the Reading2Connect LTC Program for free. Learn more.
People Affected by Dementia Taking Action!
There are three wonderful action groups for, and governed by, people living with dementia.
Dementia Action Alliance: forming friendships, exchanging ideas, and working to create positive community for people living with dementia.
National Council of Dementia Minds: fostering education and dialogue among people living with dementia, care partners, healthcare providers, researchers, and policy makers.
Young Dementia Network: an online community for everyone living with, working with, or interested in young onset dementia.
Reading2Connect
Reading2Connect is dedicated to helping older adults receive the invaluable emotional, social, and cognitive benefits of recreational reading throughout their lives. Take a look at some of our videos or join one of our live Info Sessions to learn more.
Reading: An Overlooked Way to Connection
When attending presentations or reading articles about connecting creatively with people living with dementia, I often encounter familiar lists of recommended activities: art, music, photo albums, and pets. More expansive lists might include dolls, robots, houseplants, gardens, massage, or mechanical pets. These can be valuable and creative ways of fostering engagement when conversation is difficult.
Yet they share a common, if unintended, assumption: that language must be set aside. The logic may go: “This person struggles with words—let’s connect non-verbally.” This compassionate “meet them where they are” approach is wonderful in many respects. But it often excludes one profoundly human activity—reading.
Why Reading Rarely Makes the List
At first glance, that omission seems natural. Reading appears to require comprehension, focus, and a strong memory—abilities that are compromised in the face of cognitive change.
But this narrow view overlooks reading’s deeper gifts. Reading is much more than precise information processing. Reading is about connecting to oneself, connecting to the outside, and connecting to the person beside you.
Re-imagined, reading for people living with dementia need not involve novels, newspapers, or pages full of text. Instead, a page might have a few lines of large, bold text paired with vivid imagery—a phrase such as City Lights, Garden of Vegetables, or Baby on the Run that sparks recognition, a feeling, a thought, an opinion. And much more that is the pulse of human experience.
The Spark of Recognition
Many people with dementia can still recognize words and short sentences when they are presented clearly and simply. A paragraph or caption or title, beside an evocative photograph can bypass confusion and enable the reader to slowly take in the meaning. “Reader response” – a term used in academia -- is personal and unique, making this form of connection all the richer.
When we share a page of inviting print, we meet each other in the present moment. A picture of a kitten may light up the eyes; a familiar landscape may prompt a description of home. Through accessible print, enduring human qualities, generally untouched by dementia come to light naturally--such as humor, curiosity, appreciation of nature, love of action.
Rethinking Reading for Older Adults
It is time to expand our idea of reading to include what text may look like in later life. For people living with dementia, reading should not be viewed as a test of memory or comprehension, or something to shy away from for fear of failure. It should be adapted to let the reader have an experience and to create shared moments of humanity.
So next time you think of ways to connect with someone living with dementia, don’t stop at music, art, or pets. Explore what happens with a few well- chosen words and a vivid image. You may be surprised.
Mainstreamed Literature Suggestions for Readers
Living with Cognitive Change
My recommendation today is to explore are the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
My first dip into the Chicken Soup universe came recently when exploring mainstreamed publications that may be more accessible for people experiencing cognitive change. The series is vast.
Amidst 100s of Chicken Soup titles, a few are:
…for the Senior Soul. …for the Golden Soul. …for the Baseball Fan Soul. …for the Country Music Soul. …for the Dog and Cat Lovers Soul. The choices seem endless.
Although these books are widely embraced, opinions tend to be split: some readers see it as overly sentimental; others value its optimism and lived-experience narratives.
Regardless, one can’t dismiss the unexpected nuggets scattered in all the books, eg, a facsimile of a letter from Helen Keller in Chicken Soup for the Soul Cookbook, and contributions by renowned writers and thinkers.
Comics appear frequently, too, offering easy entry points for conversation and connection. God bless humor!
Note: One’s connection to a book is personal and individualistic; no book is for everyone.
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