The Connective Power of Reading

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What happens when we read?

We read to lose ourselves…and to find ourselves.

Courtesy of Licya Puleio at Pixabay.

When we read, we become absorbed in a topic. It lets us step outside of ourselves for a while. This can be a relief from the stresses each of us puts on ourselves. 

Ironically, reading also reminds us of who we are. When we read, we naturally, quietly come to see what we think about things. How we feel about things. What is important to us. Reading helps us see what we are certain about and what we are muddled about. 

Reading reminds us of our past, engages us in the present, and brings to light our hopes for the future.

I am depicting the act of reading as a cozy, intimate, and almost otherworldly experience. But this kind of experience depends on an essential condition:

Reading must feel effortless.

What gets in the way?

The practice of reading is odd in that it requires sophisticated, complex processing, and yet, it also depends on an inherent degree of automaticity. Identifying the text, decoding the words, deriving meaning from text, must be done easily, almost reflexively. Only then can we have a good, transporting experience.

For many adults, reading becomes more difficult with time in the face of cognitive decline. This could be due to:

• age

• mental illness

• dementia

• brain trauma

• other acquired conditions.

(Note: For the purposes of this blog, I will use the terms “cognitive decline” and “dementia” interchangeably.)

For this group of individuals, many obstacles can impede their reading automaticity, focus, and pleasure. Here are just a few factors that may cause an adult reader to feel discouraged and to put the book down.

Physical discomfort:

• Fatigue or hunger

• Pain or restlessness

• A hard-to-hold book or flimsy newspaper

Environmental barriers:

• Poor lighting.

• A room that is too warm or too cold.

• Noise and distractions

Text difficulties:

• Small font size

• Long, winding sentences.

• Dense text.

Content problems:

• Too many characters to track

• Too many situational changes

• Non-sequential timelines

• Shifting points of view

What is Reading2Connect about?

The team at Reading2Connect has spent years--and hundreds of hours--observing and listening carefully to people living with dementia engage with text or attempt to engage with text. 

We’ve seen their reading frustrations. We’ve witnessed the creative, compensatory strategies they have invented. We’ve seen their times of success, confidence, and connection. 

The voices and experiences of people living with dementia have shaped our work. They are the foundation of everything we do. Reading2Connect continues to follow their lead and learn.

Through fieldwork, pilot programs, and formal research, Reading2Connect has developed a methodology and collection of specialized books to support independent reading—even in the face of cognitive challenges.

Our mission is simple but powerful:

To ensure that people affected by dementia can engage with literature throughout their lives and can use literature as a source of connection with others.

Our Reading2Connect Programs enable meaningful, enjoyable reading experiences for people in long-term care, home care, adult day centers, libraries, Memory Cafes, and other community settings.

What is this “Reading While Living with Dementia” Blog about?

With this blog we wish to create a space where people living with cognitive decline and their care partners can share and explore ideas, methods, and tools to help them stay connected with literature—and with others--throughout their lives. 

In this blog, we’ll explore a wide range of topics, including:  

• How cognitive decline does—and doesn’t--affect one’s reading abilities

• Strategies to make reading easier and more satisfying

• What makes text “age/dementia friendly”

• How to choose highly readable material.

• How to create accessible readable material.

• How reading enhances emotional, social, and intellectual well-being

• Recommendations of specific standard published books/articles, authors, and resources that are naturally accessible.

And much more 😊

In Conclusion

Frederick Douglass wrote:

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

I hope this blog is a source of inspiration, support, and freedom of the mind -- whether you’re reading for yourself or supporting the reading experiences of others.

Click below to comment, ask questions, or share your own reading experiences.

We'd love to hear from you!

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