Recommendations needed for a lady in her 70s.

[LetThereBeRock]

I'm a volunteer at a care home,and I'm going to be reading once or twice a week to a lady who has Dementia and who is completely bed bound.

I'd appreciate some suggestions for suitable books and authors,. At the moment I know relatively little about her,other than that she's a Jehovah's Witness, and loves books.
I'm reading to her tomorrow so I don't have time to find out her interests before then,though I'll certainly do so at the first opportunity.

I have a Kindle so I can download a new book in time for tomorrow,but any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Something relatively light would be best I think,other than that anything goes.

TIA

Thankyou.Poems are an excellent idea. I'll look for a suitable compilation.

No reading suggestions but just wanted to say that you are doing something so nice for this lady - just someone spending quality one to one time with her will mean so much!

I hope she enjoys it. She's not really verbal,so I'm worried that I'll drone on too much,or that she won't be enjoying a book and I won't realise,but hopefully I'll learn to read her signals.

How about trying some short stories? You might find her tastes more quickly that way.

I think poems are a good idea, maybe some very well known ones. - My dad has alzheimers, and he wouldn't be able to follow what was happening in a book, because he wouldn't remember the previous sentence. But strangely he can recite poems he learnt when he was a boy.

He also enjoys having bits of newspaper read out to him, even though I don't think he knows what they are about, and he likes looking at books with old photos in, of the place where he grew up, old airplanes etc. - things from his past.

He's quite advance in his illness though, so your lady might well be able to enjoy a short story.

What a kind person you are

LetThereBe how did it go? Hope it went well.

It did. I think she enjoyed it,though as she can say just a few words,and has advanced dementia it can be difficult to tell,but she did seem to respond.

I enjoyed reading to her,and I'm hoping to do so twice a week. I have other volunteering commitments in addition to this,but her fellow JWs visit her,and occasionally family I believe,and of course there's the staff at the nursing home.

Thankyou all for the suggestions,and those since I last responded. You've all been very helpful.

I know it might sound a bit patronising but what about something like Dahll, something like the twits or george's marvellous medicine? Theybare brilliant stroies and very engaging, even for just short periods.

It doesn't sound at all patronising. I recently downloaded some Dahl for my own reading pleasure,so I'll certainly try some of his books and stories with her.