British publisher Pictures to Share started offering books for dementia patients in 2005. Their research showed that people with dementia gradually lose the ability to read traditional books, magazines and newspapers because of the complicated layouts and small print. So they developed a series of books with pictures and short texts on a variety of topics. Some of the pictures are photographs while others are paintings and drawings.
There are 15 books in the Pictures to Share series, with titles like Family Life, Childhood Days, and A Funny Old World. The pictures and text in these books are intended to spark conversation and laughter. For example, in paging through Spending Time Indoors I came across a picture of an elderly man with a child. The text says “My grandkids believe I’m the oldest thing in the world. And after two or three hours with them, I believe it too.”
People with dementia can enjoy the Pictures to Share books by themselves, with a loved one, or in a group setting. Excellent!
Another Reading Opportunity: Learn about books by Emma Rose Sparrow.
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