Books for adults
There are hundreds (probably thousands!) of books on dementia and dementia care. Those below are ones that carers have recommended because they were helped by them – it is not meant to be a comprehensive list. But please let us know if you would like to add books to this list.
We have focused on books by people with dementia, by carers, or good reads – ones that provide insights. We haven’t included the ‘advice’ books – there are lots of those, but they don’t help necessarily as much as the stories.
Fiction/Biographical
Informational and non-Fiction
Books for children
Scroll over the images for more information
Find more books at
Readings | Listen to 'Grandads Hat' Here
Listen to 'When Grandma Came to Stay' Here | Alzheimer's Society UK |
films
Iris
2001
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/iris
True story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease.
A song for Martin
2001, Sweden
https://www.amazon.com/Song-Martin-English-Subtitled/dp/B002WLESYO
This film follows the effects of caring on Barbara, the wife of Martin, who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s not long after the couple marry.
Gerda
2017, Australia
https://films.radiowest.org/featured-series/gerda
A series of short films that offer portraits about Gerda and the family and friends that surround her.
Moving Pictures: Dementia Awareness for CALD communities
Short films in different languages covering Detection and Diagnosis, Navigating Care, and the Carer Journey.
Music
Hannah wrote this in response to her grandmother's dementia.
From Spotify: 'The northern Irish artist, producer and award winning composer Hannah Peel, is a restless and forward-thinking artist, joining dots between science, nature and the creative arts, through her explorative approach to electronic, classical and traditional music.'
photography
Cathy Greenblat
https://www.cathygreenblatphotography.com/
Take a look at this beautiful website – Cathy Greenblat specialises in dementia photography.
From TEDx Talks, YouTube:
'A three-year visual diary documenting a mother with dementia and her life forgotten, poignantly rediscovered through her son's touchingly created photographs. Artist Tony Luciani shows through a participatory caregiving process that we can all learn to be more willing to help others in times of need and discover profoundly fulfilling joy while doing it.'
Carer stories on the web
A range of stories articulating a range of experiences as carers. Some will resonate with you, others won't. As you read them, we encourage you to honour these carer experiences, to hold them lightly, they reveal many sides of caring and we love that people present all of these. We want too want to show that dementia enables profound and deep experiences of life. We hope they are insightful and maybe helpful.
Individual Stories
Dasha Kiper
'When memory disappears, something more than memory gets lost. This is how a world begins to unravel – and how caregivers unwittingly become part of the chaos. In November 2010, when I was 25 years old, I moved in with a man who was 98.'
Dementia Carers – Susan’s Story
Susan’s story was highlighted for the UK’s 2015 National Carer’s Day. It provides good insights into how she managed her day looking after her mother.
The Terrorist Inside my husbands brain
By Susan Schneider Williams, Robin Williams’ wife
2016
Mum’s dementia gave me a gift I never expected
2019
A daughter reflecting on her mothers experience of dementia and passing away
I am in Dementia Prison with my Mom
‘I started this at about 2:30 a.m. and it is now past 4 a.m. but it has been helpful for me to write my story’.
Examples of Montessori activities Thelma's mum does with her
‘Eventually I knew she was no longer safe alone’
She grips my hand and tows me behind her around the small courtyard garden, past the pretend bus stop and the red phone box with no dialling tone, down an alleyway of gravel that leads to a wooden gate. “Here,” she says. “It may be locked.”
Guardian Journalist, Sarah Boseley, tells stories of her experiences with her mum and then moves onto discuss many aspects of dementia care.
Compilations of Stories
Together in Dementia Everyday (tide)
Based in Glasgow, Scotland. This page compiles stories from carers.
Moving Pictures - Dementia Awareness for CALD communities (AUS
Films in Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Mandarin and Tamil. English speakers can also understand the films as the carers eiether speak in English or there are subtitles.
Real stories about people with dementia and their carers and links to dementia blogs and forums from around the world.
This is a Canadian filmed released in late 2018. It follows 7 family carers of persons diagnosed with dementia. It is not in the public sphere at this time, however hosting of screenings can be booked.
Stories from carers:
Not formatted well yet, but there are small quotes from carers.
National Federation of Women's Institutes (UK
A report compiled by the NFWI calling upon government and the NHS
to improve dementia care in hospitals and allow families greater access to wards. 221 carers were interviewed.
Stories from carers:
Some quotes and stories are included. Stories/quotes located on pages; 11-14, 16-19, 21-25, 28-29