Books boost older people's happiness and social life

The social life, health and happiness of older people is expected to get a much-needed boost thanks to reading projects funded by lottery cash.

Older people, particularly those living alone, will be encouraged to read more widely, share reading with others and find comfort in books as a result of a £50,000 lottery grant.

The Reading Agency charity has been awarded money from the Big Lottery Accelerating Ideas Fund to develop more reading activities for older people, in recognition of its efforts to help those with dementia enjoy books.

The charity said the money will be used to create a variety of reading activities for older people “to help them access the wellbeing and social opportunities that reading can bring”.

As well as educating, inspiring and entertaining, reading can make older people happy by tapping into their interests, transporting them to faraway places and reminding them about their youth.

The Reading Agency will focus in particular on enabling vulnerable older people who are living independently and are “at risk of isolation to remain active and engaged through reading with friends, family and wider community networks”.

The newly-funded project will test out possible incentives to get people reading including reading groups, author events and giving books as gifts. It will also explore the potential for voluntary readers and digital reading opportunities.

The scheme ‘Reading well books on prescription for dementia’ launched in January by the Government in partnership with The Reading Agency, already ensures books that are approved for people with dementia and their carers are available in libraries.

The books accredited by dementia experts help people with the condition, support carers and those worried about their memory. GPs and other health professionals began recommending the books to patients in February.

Referring to the scheme's impact, Debbie Hicks, creative director at The Reading Agency said: "This new funding from the Big Lottery Accelerating Ideas Fund will help us to investigate ways of building this impact, using established tools such as reading challenges and volunteering to encourage older people to develop their reading journey.”

Ciara Eastell, president of the Society of Chief Librarians, which will work with The Reading Agency on the project, said: “Public libraries provide a lifeline of social and wellbeing support for older people, many of whom are isolated and lonely.

“This will build on the incredible success of Reading well books on prescription for dementia, part of the universal health offer for public libraries, and develop a wider programme of reading activities for older people."