BOOKS YOU CAN READ TOGETHER

Sharing a book can have huge benefits for people with memory loss. SARAH LAWRANCE of Open Ended Books recommends dementia-friendly reads

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N estimated 982,000 Britons are now living with dementia. Most of us will know somebody affected by the condition and one of the best ways to retain a connection to them is also one of the simplest: reading a book together.

Reading is a great way to remain mentally active and keep a link with people, events and ideas, but for people with dementia the challenge is to find the right book.

Many - even lifelong book lovers - give up on reading because their symptoms make conventional books inaccessible: there's little pleasure in a novel when you can't remember what happened on the previous page, and your brain feels exhausted after just a few lines of print.

Yet with a little imagination and creativity, these obstacles can be overcome. Many people with early to moderate dementia can still enjoy reading and can benefit from both the cognitive stimulation and the opportunity to share the experience with friends and relatives.

Dr Karen Franks, Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist at Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust, explains: "When people are living with dementia they want to carry on doing the things they've always enjoyed, their hobbies and interests, the things that give their lives meaning and pleasure, just like any of us, and reading is one of those things.

"From a brain health point of view we know continuing to be physically, mentally and socially active are all good for maintaining brain health even in people with dementia and reading plays a role in this.