We're teaming up with Newcastle City Council for £77,000 project creating a new chapter for people living with dementia
The pioneering initiative will address the national issue of reading with dementia. Among the medical advice, self-help guides and memoirs of lived experience in bookshops there are very few books supporting people living with dementia to continue reading for enjoyment.
We're looking for people living in Newcastle with lived experience of dementia or a dementia diagnosis to get involved.
Over the next 18 months we'll work with artists, Newcastle Libraries and people living in the city to develop dementia-friendly books and resources based on the library service’s collections.
The project, made possible with Arts Council England National Lottery funding, is the first of its kind for the region and hopes to have an impact nationally with libraries across the country having the resources available to loan.
Douglas Hunter is Chief Executive of Equal Arts, which this year published Bewick Tales, a book developed with and for people living with dementia across the North East.
He said: “What quickly became apparent was the lack of provision supporting people to continue reading for enjoyment. There needs to be a real shift in the market. Instead of speaking to a person's area of deficit, which is their memory, we need books that stimulate curiosity and imagination. Escaping into a good book doesn’t have to be a lost experience for people living with dementia."
Along with developing Equal Arts’ Reading with Dementia principles, the project will create a dementia-friendly reading symposium with learning and evaluation being shared across regional and national library networks.
If you would like to take part, get in touch using the form below.
Cllr Adam Walker, Newcastle City Council Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Prevention, said: “This is a really welcome partnership which will help improve the quality of life for people living with dementia and will hopefully lead to benefits for people far beyond Newcastle.
“Reading is a huge part of many people’s overall wellbeing and there’s no reason that should come to an abrupt halt because of a dementia diagnosis. I’m really looking forward to working with Equal Arts to further explore the power of reading and make it more accessible for people with dementia.”
The benefits of reading for dementia
The Reading Agency is supporting our work to do more around Reading with Dementia. The agency's recent Reading Well for Dementia list highlighted how few books there were available supporting people to continue reading for enjoyment.
Reading;
- Can be a great way to communicate and spark conversations between families and friends
- Helps keep a sense of identity and encourages the sharing of life experiences and new ideas
- Is a simple yet powerful way to keep the mind active, reduce stress, improve mood and reduce feelings of isolation
- Can be an effective and meaningful activity for those living with dementia that supports wellbeing
Find out more about reading with dementia here.
