A dementia-friendly poetry book, with a selection of verses by much-loved poets

Sometimes it’s hard to maintain conversation with a loved one, as so much of our chit-chat relies on short-term memory. “How has your week been? Did you go to the concert? Did you get outside yesterday?” These are normal, friendly questions, but are challenging for anyone living with memory loss or confusion.

The solution for those who have been poetry-lovers: excerpts from classic poems by great poets, with beautiful scenic photographs. These books encourage shared reading, discussion and connection. There have been a number of studies on the value of poetry in shared reading for people living with dementia. They talk about the value of the rhythm, the rhyme, the familiarity of the verses, and the profound messages captured in a few words – plus the experience of sharing this with another person.

In this dementia-friendly poetry book, part of the Illustrated Classic Poetry series, there’s the chance to talk and reminisce about gardening or beautiful gardens.

This book is a little different from the first few in the series, which focussed more on British poetry. This selection includes verses from famous and well-loved poets from other English-speaking countries. There are verses from classic poets like Tennyson, Longfellow, Yeats, Shelley, Emily Dickinson and Bliss Carman, paired with evocative scenic photographs.

Reviewers comment on how readable these books are, and how enjoyable.

40 pages, extra large font, in a bright, slim, light 8 × 10 paperback.
There is no reference to dementia or other illness inside the book or on the cover. The back cover says simply: A selection of classic garden poetry. Keep your mind active as you read aloud or read along!

You can find Illustrated Garden Poetry on Amazon by clicking on this universal link: https://mybook.to/GardenPoems  – or why not try your local library? (Tell them it’s ISBN number: 9781922191717.)