July 30 is Paperback Book Day. Did your aging loved one used to love to read but now seems to very rarely pick up a good book to read? Reading is a great way to keep a mind sharp. It slows down cognitive decline, which can help reduce the risk of diseases like dementia.

Reading is also great for opening up the mind to new ideas, discovering facts from around the world, and soothing the soul. It can create a reprieve from loneliness or anxiety and help the brain to focus on other things.

If your senior has stopped reading, there could be several reasons. Here are some ways to help your loved one pick up a book and rediscover the joy he used to find when he lost himself in someone else’s story.

Reading may be too strainful on his eyes

If your loved one struggles to read because he can’t stay focused on the print, there are several steps you can take to help him read without eye strain.

• Have his eyeglass prescription checked. Your loved one may need bifocals or need his prescription updated for a change in his eyesight. If it’s been more than a year since your loved one has seen his optometrist, schedule a time that his senior home care provider can bring him for an exam.
• Check the lighting. Is your loved one trying to read in too dark of an area? A nice over-stuffed armchair tucked into the corner of the library may look like an inviting place to settle in and read a book, but if the lighting is low, it could cause your loved one to struggle with seeing the text. Create a well-lit area that he can comfortably settle into and spend some time with his nose buried in his book.
• Check the print. Some paperbacks have very small text, causing eye strain. Your loved one’s senior home care provider can help him look online or at bookstores for larger print books that’ll make it easier for him. Also, while many seniors shy away from digital e-books, the nice thing about them is he can enlarge the text to as large as he needs to help him read.

Reading might be too difficult to understand

If your loved one has some cognitive decrease, he might find the complex books he used to love are too hard to follow. It could be that when he sets down his book for a break and then picks it back up again, he can’t remember what he read the other day so he’s always feeling lost.

• To help with understanding, look for abridged books. Abridged books take out some of the irrelevant text so that the book is pared down and easier to understand.
• Encourage your loved one to try new authors. Your loved one might enjoy books that are for young adults or are more “fluffy.”
• Have someone like his senior home care provider read to him. The senior home care provider can do a quick recap of what they read last so your senior is ready for what’s next.

With a few adjustments, your loved one can pick up that paperback and enjoy reading again.

If You Or An Aging Loved One is Considering Senior Home Care in Arvada, CO, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 720-780-7755.