6 Books to Share with Seniors Who Have Dementia

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Books For Seniors With Dementia

Reading is a favorite pastime among seniors, even those with dementia. Cognitive decline can make it difficult for seniors with dementia to remember what they read, but many of them still retain their reading skills. Here are six books seniors with dementia can read and enjoy.

1. Keeping Busy: A Handbook of Activities for Persons with Dementia by James R. Dowling

This book combines advice, humor, how-to guides, and compassion for seniors with dementia. It offers plenty of suggestions for how elderly people with dementia can still remain active and enjoy their lives. The language is clear enough for people with dementia to read, and it can also be quite useful for caregivers.

Caring for a loved one with dementia or other forms of cognitive decline can be challenging for family members. Families who need help caring for a senior loved one can turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of Philadelphia home care. Services available in our customizable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.

2. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox

Seniors with grandkids or other young loved ones will appreciate this thoughtful children’s book. It is a story about memory loss told from the point of view of a young boy who lives next to a nursing home. The story is very easy to follow, and the pictures are humorous and realistic.

3. Through the Seasons: An Activity Book for Memory-Challenged Adults and Caregivers by Cynthia R. Green

This activity book is intended to stimulate the brain and help seniors with dementia recall their past. It is divided into four sections to depict each season of the year, and the book describes common experiences like raking leaves and picking apples. These gentle references to positive events are described using sensory language that can evoke memories through touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste.

4. Wishing on a Star by Lydia Burdick

This book is intentionally made large enough to spread across a caregiver’s and senior’s laps at the same time. It features illustrations of seniors, so it does not come across as childish. This engaging and colorful book describes basic activities and events, making it a soothing and relaxing read.

For families living in Philadelphia, PA, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Home Care Assistance, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.

5. Blue Sky, White Clouds: A Book for Memory-Challenged Adults by Eliezer Sobel

This book belongs to a genre called “adult picture books,” and it was written specifically for seniors with dementia. Sobel combines beautiful pictures with simple descriptions written in a clear, large font, which allows seniors with language challenges to appreciate simple scenery and situations. The open-ended nature of the images can often be used to prompt memories among seniors.

6. The Sandy Shoreline by Emma Rose Sparrow

Sparrow writes her books for seniors with cognitive issues so they can enjoy reading something besides children’s books. The plot is realistic and adult-oriented, yet it is simple and clear enough to avoid confusing seniors with dementia. The book does not even mention anything about dementia, so it is a great way to distract and entertain book-loving seniors who do not want to be reminded of their diagnosis.

Aging in place can present a few unique challenges for older adults. Some only require part-time assistance with exercise or meal preparation, while others are living with serious illnesses and benefit more significantly from receiving live-in care. Philadelphia, PA, Home Care Assistance are leaders in the elderly in-home care industry for good reason. We tailor our care plans based on each senior’s individual needs, our caregivers continue to receive updated training in senior care as new developments arise, and we also offer comprehensive care for seniors with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s. Call us at (215) 645-4663 to find out about our revolutionary senior care plans or to schedule a free in-home consultation.

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