Why is this needed? Well, all these books can be enjoyed as a shared reading experience. However, it’s possible that not all care partners will feel confident to read classic poetry aloud. Maybe they’re not a poetry fan, or maybe English is a language they are still learning… If that is so, then hopefully this audio can make the shared reading experience more fun.
Each poem has its own short video. I introduce the poem in a chatty voice, then read the poem twice, with the second reading a little slower, to allow someone to read along, if they’d like to. ‘If they’d like to’ is an important point, as I don’t want anyone to feel pressured. In fact, I got feedback when I trialled this audio, reminding me to make that very clear!
I’ll keep recording and hopefully soon have all 19 poems done. I’ll also make a short introductory video for care partners, to suggest ways they can extend the reading to include discussion and reminiscence.
I promised I’d write some dementia-friendly fiction, but I haven’t quite got there yet. However, my lovely sister Emma writes magazine short stories and children’s books (amongst other things!) and has always encouraged me in my memory-friendly writing. So a while ago, I asked if she would consider writing some short stories adapted for mild cognitive loss.
As I’m sure you know, people living with early brain changes often find that while they can still read, they get confused as they turn the page… Who am I reading about? What’s going on? They may still want to read a story with a plot (rather than description only), but they need a little unobtrusive support to stay with the story.
Now here’s the result of Emma’s work! Two collections of large print, ‘feel-good’ stories of everyday life, the kind you’d find in a magazine. However, each new spread has a small reminder at the top of the page of who the characters are and what the story is about. Then as you read down the page, there are more small, subtle reminders of what’s happening. Here’s an example from The Perfect Pie and other stories (by Cathy Emma Laybourn).
These memory-friendly stories feature relatable situations, for example:
The Perfect Pie – Brian has promised to cook a meal for his friend Larry. But Larry keeps changing his mind about his favourite food! What can Brian do? The Beach Hunt – Moira and her grand-daughter Sophie are enjoying a day on the beach, when Sophie loses a shell bracelet. However, Moira has a solution. The Lost List – Alec arrives at the supermarket without his shopping list. But thanks to his helpful nature, he ends up with a few new friends as well as all his shopping. A Change of Garden – Jean is moving to a new flat. Although she’s looking forward to it, she will miss her garden, and especially its bird life. But her son has a surprise waiting at her new home.
Friends and family always feature, as Emma herself says:
When writing for various magazines, no matter what type of stories I wrote, the importance of friendships and family was always central – and that’s true of these stories as well.
She lives in the UK, so there are a few references to money as ‘pounds’ or to ‘thrushes and greenfinches’ in the garden, but the story themes are universal, featuring the challenges and successes of life, with a feel-good ending:
I’ve used simplified, linear storylines and straightforward but not childish language, as well as plenty of memory prompts within the story. I tried to avoid depicting the characters as elderly (although there are a couple of stories about grand-parents and their children) because not all people with memory loss are elderly, and not all elderly people think of themselves as old!
Dementia Action week is over, and I had such an absorbing time – meeting RPH staff, and so many great people from other organisations, on the ‘bridge’ (a busy thoroughfare between buildings). Lots of meaningful conversations with members of the general public and staff members on their way somewhere – and also a few people averting their eyes, or mumbling ‘not for me’, as they hurried past. The word ‘dementia’ is a confronting one for so many of us, and yet there was so much wonderful information from places like Dementia Australia, CarersWA, and Alzheimer’s WA on getting an early diagnosis, or getting support – not just leaflets, but personalised advice from people who work in the field!
I missed one day, to attend the Dementia Symposium, for a wealth of input on current services, provision and initiatives – and also so much connection and warmth. A lot of learning for me, since this isn’t my professional area (that’s adult education, if you haven’t yet seen my ‘about’ page). Then more fascinating learning (and more great connections) last week, at the Edith Cowan University Preventative Health and Positive Ageing Summit. A huge thanks to all the organisers and people who put so much time and effort in to share what they know – and what the rest of us need to know…
It’s Dementia Awareness Week here in Australia, and its World Alzheimer’s month in the US.
This is a poignant article about famous children’s author Robert Munsch, now living with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, and reflecting on how this affects his life and his creativity. I am always so moved when people with that lived experience of dementia share their new reality and what it means for them…
Here’s the article, from the New York Times, by Katie Engelhart (Sept. 14, 2025).
Hello! I’m Clare Harris from Unforgettable Notes (Memory-friendly books). Thanks for finding me!
Up until now, I’ve been using a page on my ESL/Adult Education site, The Book Next Door, to show the world my memory-friendly books, but now they need their own site, and this is it! It’s a work in progress, so bear with me…
If you’re interested in my books, there’s a link to each one in the menu bar above. You can also find all my books on the Amazon site for your country. Here’s a universal link: https://mybook.to/UnforgettableNotes
As for this blog, well, I’ll be posting about my books, about other dementia-friendly books I find, and about new research on dementia and reading.
