Reading to elderly people with dementia, usually a consequence of Alzheimer’s disease, can be a useful and relaxing activity, provided you meet a number of preconditions. A condition for a good reading program for elderly people with dementia is that the subject (for example autumn) is a subject of which they all have memories. Because then the stories, poems and song lyrics appeal to their memory. Another condition is that the reading material is not childish but simple, ie understandable to them. A varied program is also important. It is a pity that there are still few read-aloud books specifically developed for seniors with dementia. But with this program, perhaps expanded by yourself, you can quickly get started and the activity becomes a pleasant, relaxing activity that brings back memories of the autumn.

How to practically prepare reading for elderly people with dementia

If you want to carry out a successful reading activity for these clients, who, for example, have Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, there are a number of practical points you can pay attention to:

Make a good setup for the reading

If you pay attention to the following points, the reading will be more enjoyable for everyone:

1. Choose your listeners carefully. Many elderly people, whether they have dementia or not, are hearing impaired
2. Make sure there is a good arrangement in the room: all elderly people should be able to see your face clearly
3. Carefully choose a spot for those who are hearing impaired: diagonally or directly opposite you, so that they can see your face
4. Place seniors who can see well but hear poorly next to you, so that they can take a look at the text
5. If your voice isn’t very clear, get a good microphone
6. Choose a place for yourself where you have sufficient light for the stories and poems you want to read
7. Choose a place for yourself where the light falls on your face
8. Make sure that the elderly do not look into the light of day, because then the reader’s face will appear dark

Tip about sound equipment

There are compact, mobile sound systems, with microphone and loudspeaker. These are quite affordable. These types of sound systems can often be connected to electricity or used with a battery. In the Netherlands, for example, you can obtain equipment from the Mipro brand. More information about Mipro sound equipment can be found on the internet.

Reading program about autumn for elderly people suffering from a form of dementia

This autumn reading program is an example that you can follow in whole or in part. Variety is important when putting together a reading program. Always alternate long reading texts with shorter ones, for example stories with poems. Reading song lyrics (possibly handing them out so that people can read along) or playing songs with appropriate lyrics is also nice for the very elderly with dementia. And of course they can sing along! This often happens spontaneously, even without you asking them.

Tip about CDs with school songs from the past

The Duo Karst CDs are well known to many activity leaders. These are CDs with many well-known songs from the past. These school songs are available with and without lyrics. When recording the songs, the singing tempo and pitch of the melodies took older people into account.

The autumn reading program

1. Music: ‘A field mouse found an empty nutshell in the beech forest’ (Duo Karst, CD 5 number 4)
2. Poem: ‘Autumn’ by Rie Cramer from ‘The year round’
3. Story: ‘Looking for beechnuts’ by WG van de Hulst from ‘The new reading book’
4. Poem: ‘The Sweet Chestnut’ by Cicely Mary Barker from ‘Flower Children of the Trees’
5. Short story: One of the stories from ‘Autumn with Jip and Janneke’ by Annie MG Schmidt

Pause

It is good to pause a reading program for a moment. The energy of many elderly people with dementia is limited, as is their concentration. At the same time, this is of course a suitable time to have a drink, a snack and a chat together.

Tip about chocolate that reminds you of autumn

You may be able to come up with a treat for coffee during the break that fits in with autumn. For example, various shops sell chocolate that suits autumn: chocolate in the shape of leaves or acorns. You can also order these chocolates or bonbons online. Those of Het Soethuys’ are very special.

1. Poem: ‘Storm’ by Rie Cramer from ‘The year round’ (about lying safely in bed when it storms outside)
2. Story: ‘Collecting chestnuts’ from a ‘Heart full of stories, reading book for the elderly’, publisher SWP, Amsterdam.
3. Poem: ‘Three fowl sparrows’ by Annie MG Schmidt from ‘Ziezo’ (a funny poem about bird migration)
4. Music with lyrics: ‘With you under an umbrella’ by Annie MG Schmidt from ‘Yes sister, no sister’

Tip about using images

If you have a good illustration for a story or poem, pass the book around the circle of seniors with dementia or visit them yourself with the image. Passing something on and viewing it together is also a way to make contact with the people sitting next to you. At the same time you practice a skill: passing something on to each other. You practice something without it being noticeable!

Tip about good reading

If you would like to know more about good reading aloud, please consult the article Good reading aloud is an art.

Conclusion about reading about the autumn season

Although little has been written specifically for elderly people with a form of dementia, with the necessary research and with the example program from this article, you can put together a decent reading program about autumn. Or you can write down your own childhood memory of autumn.

read more

• Read winter stories, poems, songs to people with dementia
• Reading spring stories and poems to people with dementia
• Read summer stories and summer poems to people with dementia
• Singing autumn songs with elderly people with dementia
• Autumn quiz or fall quiz for dementia: practice memory!