Five books to help you support somebody living with dementia

Caring for a loved one living with dementia is a tough and emotionally charged challenge. It can be hard to make sense of how and why they experience the world so differently from how they used to, and the resulting changes in the dynamics of your relationship with them can be especially painful.  

We’ve curated a list of supportive books full of information, advice, and relatable stories to help you understand and overcome the difficulties of supporting somebody with the condition and feel less alone. 

1. What I Wish People Knew About Dementia: From Someone Who Knows, by Wendy Mitchell
   Having been diagnosed with early onset dementia aged 58, the author created this practical, honest and uplifting how-to manual for those living with dementia and those who support them. Mitchell’s own struggle to find resources about the early stages of the condition led to her writing about the diversity in how the illness affects different people.
    

1. The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer’s Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss, 6th edition, by Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins
   This book is full of detailed, practical and compassionate advice for those caring for somebody living with dementia. The comprehensive and thought-provoking guide covers all aspects of life affected by dementia and is an invaluable source of reference for anybody caring for someone with the disease.
    

1. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias: 101 Stories of Caregiving, Coping, and Compassion, by Amy Newmark and Angela Timashenka Geiger
   This collection of personal stories provides a source of support, advice and comfort for caregivers and those living with Alzheimer’s alike. Filled with authentic anecdotes and strategies from those who have experience caring for people with the condition, the book is an inspirational, encouraging and heart-warming read.
    

1. Contented Dementia, by Oliver James
   This Sunday Times bestseller written by a clinical psychologist gives a way of managing dementia that aims to enable those living with the illness as well as their carers to live as content and happy a life as possible. The tried and tested treatment method outlined in the book can help to ease the frustration and confusion that people living with dementia and carers alike often experience.
    
2. Dementia Essentials: How to Guide a Loved One Through Alzheimer’s or Dementia and Provide the Best Care, by Jan Hall
   This book offers realistic and reassuring advice to help those living with dementia and their caregivers to navigate the complexities of the condition. Written by carers with first-hand experience, it shares personal experiences and practical strategies on everything from encouraging independence, confidence and activity to legal and financial advice and tips on choosing a care home.

3. If you’re finding it difficult to care for a loved one with dementia, we offer a range of care services from home care and live-in care to residential and nursing care homes. Call our care advisors on 01206 646646 for a friendly, no-obligation chat about your options, email [email protected], or submit an enquiry via our contact page.