National Reading with Dementia Symposium
About this Event
Join us to explore the emerging field of dementia-friendly reading across the UK. With insight from people with lived experience and organisations leading the way in this specialist area, we'll explore the practice of Reading with Dementia through presentations, workshops and reflections.
The symposium is in partership with Newcastle Libraries and the UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing, funded by Arts Council England.
Agenda
🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
Registration and refreshments
🕑: 10:30 AM
Welcome and keynote
Host: Isobel Hunter, Chief Executive, Libraries Connected
Info: Welcome from Sharon Traill, Community Hubs and Libraries Manager, Newcastle Libraries; followed by keynote address from Isobel Hunter, Chief Executive, Libraries Connected.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Reading with Dementia - Project overview and key findings
Host: Sarah Lawrance, Equal Arts
Info: Hear about the approaches developed through the 18-month Reading with Dementia programme with Newcastle Libraries, the impact on participants' reading confidence and wellbeing, and how both historic collections and contemporary resources have been used to stimulate reading and support social connection.
🕑: 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
Panel Discussion - overcoming barriers and creating connections
Host: Dr Karen Franks, Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry, Gates
Info: Panellists share their experience of overcoming barriers to reading with dementia. With contributions from readers with lived experience of dementia and creative facilitators involved in delivering Reading with Dementia in community and care settings.
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch and networking opportunities
🕑: 01:15 PM - 02:45 PM
Showcase
Host: Dr Jane Lugea, Queen's University Belfast
Info: Hear about different approaches to dementia-friendly reading from organisations leading the way in this emerging field. Contributors include Dr Jane Lugea from the Still Reading project at Queen's University, Belfast; Anita Goundry, Expert by Experience, Alzheimers Society book club; Alison Kirkpatrick, Psychology Research Assistant at Verbal Arts Centre, Derry; Alison Irvine, Reading is Caring Trainer at Scottish Book Trust
🕑: 02:45 PM - 03:45 PM
Practical Workshops (three options)
Host: Workshop 1 - lead facilitator Ceinwen Haydon
Info: In this facilitated workshop you'll have an opportunity to test out ideas for growing dementia-friendly reading in your organisation with other delegates and speakers. A safe space to explore potential challenges and opportunities and hopefully to leave with clear actions and next steps. Choose one of these options: 1) Reading and talking about poetry: this workshop will focus on selecting suitable poems, and skills/techniques for reading and talking about poetry with people living with dementia; 2) Creating dementia-friendly reading resources, using what you've got; this workshop will focus on choosing and adapting texts from a variety of sources, to create dementia-friendly reading materials; 3) Facilitating reading in care settings; this workshop will focus on navigating some of the practical challenges associated with facilitating reading in dementia care homes and supported living schemes
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Feedback and Closing Reflections
Host: Luke Burton, Director of Libraries Arts Council England
Info: Luke Burton will be in attendance throughout the day, listening to speakers and delegates.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
