Journal article
Turning Pages Together: The Power of Book Clubs for People Living with Dementia
Australian Social Work, Vol.78(3), pp.364-368
2025
Abstract
Millions of people worldwide suffer with dementia, a complex and debilitating brain disorder. Dementia has significant impacts on cognitive functioning and general wellbeing, resulting in loss of social engagement, isolation, and withdrawal. To address the impact of cognitive deterioration, interventions are aimed at supporting social interaction and enhancing cognitive stimulation. One such intervention is book clubs, which offer both social interaction and cognitive stimulation, designed especially for people living with dementia. The purpose of this brief commentary is to describe and reflect on a clinical social work practice example of a book club group therapy intervention with residential dementia patients in Australia. This commentary discusses the choice of book, facilitation strategies, and beneficial outcomes of the book club. It was observed that residents with severe dementia demonstrated cognitive, social, and emotional benefits from participating in the book club. It is recommended that social workers and social work students can use book clubs as a proactive, targeted therapeutic intervention with people living with dementia.
Details
- Title
- Turning Pages Together: The Power of Book Clubs for People Living with Dementia
- Authors
- Ali Rollason - Univ Tennessee, Knoxville, TN USAZalia Powell - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Law and SocietyTamara Cadet - University of Pennsylvania
- Publication details
- Australian Social Work, Vol.78(3), pp.364-368
- Publisher
- Routledge
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1080/0312407X.2024.2430213
- ISSN
- 1447-0748
- Organisation Unit
- School of Law and Society
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991091093702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Social Work
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