Rotherham Care Home Puts Spotlight On Dementia This World Book Day

In celebration of World Book Day 2021 on 4 March, residents at Moorgate Croft care home in Rotherham have been creating videos of themselves reading some of their favourite novels and poetry to share with the local community, and to shine a light on those living with dementia this World Book Day.

Residents at Moorgate Croft have been performing excerpts from Dear Dementia and some more of their favourite books to share with their families and the community on the home’s Facebook page.

The social media project is intended to recreate the sense of grandparents reading to their grandchildren, and to show the benefits of books for mental health and in strengthening the brain for all generations.

Reading at home can boost a child’s performance at school and strengthen their brain. Similarly, studies show that reading as you grow older helps to keep the mind engaged and maintain cognitive functioning.

Ann Wood, manager at Moorgate Croft, said: “At Moorgate Croft, we are proud to be active members of our local community and in simpler times we love working with local schoolchildren and getting involved in different projects.

“World Book Day is a great opportunity for us to do something a bit different, so this year we decided to make these videos to share our love of reading and some of our favourite stories with our friends, families and followers on Facebook. We also wanted to make a difference by shining a light on Dementia this World Book Day”

Barbra Daughtry, 79, a resident at Moorgate Croft, said, “I enjoy reading a ‘who did it’ mostly as I like to try and work it out with the clues.

“Creating the video brought back memories to teaching my grandchildren to read, write and count. It’s surprising how you learn to read and never forget and that’s how I remember things now.”