Queen’s and Dementia NI launch reading initiative to reconnect people living with dementia
- Love Ballymena
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Pictured L-R are: Anna Duff, Dementia NI member; Conor Lawell, Empowerment Facilitator at Dementia NI; Dr Jane Luega from Queen's University Belfast; Dr Clara Neary from Atlantic Technological University and Queen’s University Belfast; Paul McCooey, Dementia NI member; and Ciarda Martin-Joyce, Empowerment Facilitator at Dementia NI.
A new initiative launched by Queen’s University Belfast and Dementia NI is aiming to help people living with dementia rediscover the joy of reading through specially designed shared reading groups.
The organisations have unveiled a free resource pack designed to support community groups, charities, libraries and organisations in setting up reading sessions tailored specifically for people with dementia.
The launch took place during the Shared Reading for People with Dementia symposium at Queen’s and comes amid growing recognition of the role reading can play in improving wellbeing, social connection and inclusion for those living with dementia.
With around one in three people expected to develop dementia during their lifetime, according to the Alzheimer’s Society, the initiative seeks to tackle isolation and help people remain socially engaged through literature, poetry and conversation.
Helping people reconnect through reading
Shared reading involves reading short stories or poems aloud within a group setting before participants discuss their thoughts, memories and personal reactions together.
Organisers say the approach creates a relaxed and inclusive social environment where people can continue enjoying literature, even after a dementia diagnosis.
The guidance has been developed through the Still Reading project, led by Dr Jane Lugea from Queen’s University Belfast and Dr Clara Neary from Atlantic Technological University and Queen’s, working alongside members of Dementia NI.
The project delivered shared reading groups in community settings across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, while also training library and charity staff to continue delivering sessions locally.
The newly released resource pack now allows other organisations to introduce similar programmes within their own communities.
Research challenges assumptions around dementia and reading
Dr Jane Lugea, Reader from the School of Arts, English and Languages at Queen’s, said many people wrongly assume reading becomes impossible after a dementia diagnosis.
She explained:
“Many people think that reading literature is a skill lost with dementia, but it doesn’t have to be, if the right adjustments are put in place. Studies have shown that shared reading can help alleviate symptoms, while also improving confidence and quality of life for people with dementia.
“These reading groups give people with dementia a chance to enjoy reading in a social setting, providing a stimulating and enjoyable activity - much like a book club without the homework.”
The project has been co-designed with members of Dementia NI and supported by partners including The Reader, Roscommon County Libraries, Roscommon LEADER Partnership and Western Alzheimer’s.
Participants rediscover enjoyment and confidence
Conor Lawell, Empowerment Facilitator with Dementia NI, said the initiative had helped many members reconnect with activities they thought they had lost after diagnosis.
He said:
“The Shared Reading project at Dementia NI has allowed our members to enjoy stories and poetry again. Many of our members lost the joy of reading after being diagnosed with dementia.
“The members all over the country thoroughly enjoy the reading from our staff and we have found that they particularly enjoy hearing stories and poems that relate to the area that they come from.
“Shared Reading has not only given our dedicated staff great new skills in working with people who have dementia but has also enhanced our members’ quality of life through these amazing stories and poems.”
Librarians Aisling Brennan and Hilary Daly from Roscommon County Libraries also highlighted the emotional and social impact the sessions had on participants.
They said:
“For participants who had always loved reading but could no longer do so independently, being read to felt like something special. It opened up new ways to communicate and reconnect, and seeing this engagement was one of the most rewarding aspects of the project for us.
“Being part of a mainstream community activity, in a non-clinical setting, clearly supported a sense of inclusion, well-being, and positive mental health.
“We also chose to share some of our own stories and reflections, which helped create trust and a sense of equality within the group. This mutual openness enriched the experience for everyone involved and made the project truly meaningful for us as leaders.”
Free resource pack now available online
The Shared Reading for People Living with Dementia resource pack is now available free online and is intended to help organisations establish their own shared reading groups within local communities.
The initiative forms part of wider efforts to promote inclusion and improve quality of life for people living with dementia through meaningful social and cultural activities.
For more information or to access the resource pack, visit: