Senior Living News

The Idea Behind Read Alouds

Reading stories aloud is a common activity in school classrooms and homes. Teachers often read picture books or a few chapters of a longer book to their students. At home, parents might read to their kids at bedtime or throughout the day. It engages more of the senses and helps bring the stories to life with audio inputs instead of just visual. Hearing a story can encourage greater imagination and help immerse those involved in the story. The same idea applies to older adults with dementia, whether they live at home or in a senior community like Autumn View Gardens Creve Coeur.

Benefits of Reading Aloud to Individuals With Dementia

Read alouds might seem more like a child's activity, but they can provide many benefits to seniors as well. People with dementia might find it more challenging to read on their own. Following the plot and remembering the details can become difficult. Hearing the story read aloud often makes it easier to understand what's happening. They can focus on the storyline rather than trying to comprehend written words.

Hearing stories can offer a cognitively stimulating experience for people in all stages of dementia. It engages the brain and keeps your loved ones mentally stimulated.

Gathering to hear a story can also incorporate a social element. Listeners feel a connection to other people and spend time with them to reduce the chances of loneliness. They can also bond over a shared experience by hearing the same story as other people. When reading aloud, it's common to talk about what you're reading. This can help people with dementia process what they're hearing to better understand it.

Tips for Reading Aloud to Seniors

Reading out loud to seniors with dementia is a flexible activity that you can tailor to various needs and interests. Follow these tips to make read alouds more enjoyable and meaningful.

• Make it multigenerational. Reading aloud with seniors and children can create a bonding experience for everyone involved. It's a good way for grandchildren and grandparents to spend time together. You might even invite the grandkids to read to their grandparents.
• Try different materials. Every person's interests are different, so choosing a variety of reading materials can make the activity more effective.
• Visit the library. Taking a trip to the library lets your loved one choose new reading material and helps keep them active. Public libraries offer a wide range of materials, including large-print and audio books to make reading easier for seniors. St. Louis County Library offers services for older adults, including homebound and mobile services, to make it easier to get new reading materials regularly.
• Consider the timing. Plan read alouds for a time when your loved one is calm and focused. They'll be able to listen to the store more, and the experience will be more relaxing for everyone involved.
• Read with enthusiasm. Changing your voice to reflect the tone, subject and characters can help someone with dementia understand what they're hearing. It also makes listening to a story more engaging. Experiment with different voices, volumes and other variations.
• Speak clearly. It's important to read in a way that's easy to understand. Reading at a slower, steady pace helps your loved one follow what they're hearing.

Good Materials to Use for Read Alouds

You can read any materials that interest your loved one for the read alouds. Some options include:

• Chapter books. For older adults with early dementia, longer books with multiple chapters can provide an ongoing activity. You might read a few chapters aloud to them each day based on how long they want to sit.
• Religious materials. Reading the Bible, devotionals or other Christian materials can offer a source of hope at any stage of dementia.
• Books for memory challenges. You can find books written specifically for people with memory challenges. Examples include The Sunshine on My Face: A Read-Aloud Book for Memory Challenged Adults and Blue Sky, White Clouds: A Book for Memory-Challenged Adults. These books might work well as dementia symptoms increase and your loved one needs more support with memory.
• Familiar favorites. For some adults with dementia, hearing old favorites read aloud feels comforting, even if they don't remember the book fully.
• History. Reading biographies or historical accounts of real-life events can help spark memories for people with dementia. It can give them details about events they experienced themselves that they might not remember clearly.

Consider what keeps your loved one interested and what they might want to hear. Their dementia progress can also help you decide on reading material. They might continue reading longer books initially, but you might find shorter texts more useful as dementia symptoms advance.

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