One year of Impact: Reading Well for dementia

Launched in May 2024, Reading Well for dementia recommends helpful reading and digital resources for people living with dementia. The booklist provides books for family, friends and carers, offering reliable information, advice and support as well as personal stories and age-appropriate books for children.  

Over the past year, we’ve been taking a number of different approaches to promote the collection and share with different audiences: 

• At the Royal College of General Practitioners Annual Conference in October 2024, we reached over 1,600 GPs, raising awareness of the Reading Well for dementia scheme. 
• In November 2024, we delivered the opening keynote and hosted an exhibition stand at the UK Dementia Congress, engaging with more than 300 delegates. 
• At the Faculty of Old Age Psychiatry Annual Conference in March 2025, we connected with over 200 psychiatry professionals to share the value of reading as a support tool for people affected by dementia. 
• In April, we hosted a webinar in partnership with the Memory Services National Accreditation Programme (MSNAP) titled Books on Prescription: how reading can support better patient outcomes. We were joined by – Keith Oliver, a co-producer of the booklist and person living with dementia, who shared his powerful poem, Why I Still Read?

Why I still read? 

Why do I still read yet, much of what I read I forget? 
I still read for leisure, and read for pleasure 
To find a way, always to say 
Within your world, I’d wish to stay. 
To gain true insight, and a sense of what’s right 
To be taken aside, then move to the inside 
I read to start the day, and pass its last moments away 
I read and have known, by doing so I am never alone  
I read to banish fear, though sometimes I do shed a tear 
I read to smile, helping me go the extra mile 
All this is why I still read. 

Find out more about Keith’s experience living with dementia here.

One memory service professional who attended said: “I really enjoyed the webinar today and felt really inspired.” 

We also:  

• Launched two pilots with memory services, offering patients access to Reading Well for dementia to support their mental health and wellbeing.  
• Presented to a range of health and social care professionals  
• Published a number of articles including with the British Psychological Society.   

Impact  

Over 3.8 million Reading Well books have been borrowed since 2013. 92% of adults found their book helpful and 90% of health professionals said the books helped support people outside of consultation time. 

Why Reading Matters 

Reading isn’t just for leisure, it’s powerful: 

• Evidence shows non-pharmacological treatments, including reading, can have a positive impact on people living with dementia. 
• Arts-based activities, including reading, can stimulate memories, improve communication and social engagement for people living with dementia. 
• Shared reading can improve social interaction, quality of life and cognitive skills for people living with dementia. 
• Bibliotherapy has been shown to have a positive effect on depression and anxiety amongst carers of people with dementia. 

Visit The Reading Agency shop to access Reading Well for dementia materials.

If you would like to deliver Reading Well for dementia, contact us at [email protected]