The Seniorserv listserv recently listed a Q&A that I think may be helpful for those of us who don’t subscribe to that listserv.
The question was asked by Carol Bean of the Lantana Road Branch, Palm Beach County Library System in Lake Worth, FL.
A volunteer recently asked about books we typically stock for literacy students that are fairly short and easy to read (graduated by degrees of difficulty), as a resource for her mother who is suffering from dementia and gets frustrated trying to read regular novels. My own mother is suffering from short term memory loss and probably wouldn't be able to remember earlier chapters as she reads through a longer novel.
Are there books, or a book resource, geared towards people with dementia or memory loss, for pleasure reading? I'm thinking relatively short (fiction or biographical) books that could be read in one (short?) sitting would beideal.
Do any other libraries have "special" collections (or designated books) they maintain of these types of materials, similar to a literacy student collection?
The reply came from Allan M. Kleiman, Library Consultant(s)-on-Call, libraryolderadults.blogspot.com, who is renowned for his expertise on library services to older adults.
Eldersong Publications has a few choices in their catalog. They are online. Also, may I suggest magazines like
Good Old Days and
Reminisce. But I would foremost suggest that you look at the Dewey numbers 817/818 in the library's collection. The 817 American Humor is ideal and can bring some laughter along with the short chapters. The 818 would have American Short Stories and collected works of familiar authors.
Some of my best received material that I read from is from the 817 area. Comedians like George Burns or social commentator Erma Bombeck always are popular and bring a smile and a laugh.
You might also consider the picture/shorter chapter biographies from the Children's Department. Just enough words for content but pictures to "stir" the memories.
Another options would be to do some searching using keywords in Novelist, like humor, etc. And you can also key in reading level for some children's titles, too.
Alan winds up by saying something that I agree with and hope readers of this discussion board take to heart: “Good-luck and let us all know how the programming goes. We can all benefit by our mutual experiences.”
