Donegal Librarians Reveal their top 25 must-read Dementia books

A collection of Top 25 Dementia books, as compiled by Ireland’s librarians, has today been revealed.

There is an estimated 2,451 people living with dementia in Donegal and each year more than 11,000 people develop the disease across the country – that’s around 30 people every day.

The development of the specially curated selection offers a range of perspectives on life with the disease and follows on a need identified by people with dementia and their loved ones for greater information and support.

It has been created in partnership with colleagues from the Dementia Services Information and Development Centre, Dublin (DSIDC).

Through an initiative of the Healthy Ireland at Your Library programme, and supported by the Dementia: Understand Together campaign, led by the HSE, the books are now available in libraries across Donegal, including Stranorlar, Ballyshannon, Buncrana, Bundoran, Carndonagh, Letterkenny, Donegal town, An Chlochán Liath, Gaoth Dobhair, Lifford, Milford, Moville and Raphoe.

The collection features an eclectic mix of titles on the subject of dementia, from slowing the onset of the disease to ways to improve our brain health, from first-hand accounts of people living with dementia to ways to improve life through nutrition, music, the arts, and more.

The introduction of the collection has been supported by the delivery of dementia awareness training. The training, delivered by the DSIDC, provided information on the different types of dementia and their symptoms.

It also gave information and advice on creating a supportive environment and how best to assist and communicate with the person with dementia when visiting the library.

If you or a loved one is worried about symptoms of dementia, you can speak to a dementia adviser at The Alzheimer Society of Ireland on Freefone 1800 341 341 (Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm).

For details of the Top 25 Dementia books, as well as information on supports available, including a county-by-county service-finder, visit www.understandtogether.ie

Approximately 64,000 people are living with dementia in Ireland today and this number is expected to more than double to over 150,000 by 2045.

There are many forms of dementia, with the most common being Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, mixed Alzheimer’s disease/vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body disease.