For people living with dementia, reading an entire book alone can often be overwhelming. That's why reading aloud can be an excellent way to help them enjoy stories of love, adventure, and adversity once again. Book clubs not only provide a chance to read great books but also offer a space to socialize and talk about the characters and stories with friends.

Whether done as a group or as a one-to-one activity, reading aloud can be a wonderful way to spend time. Here's what you'll need:

A selection of books or short stories (short stories are better as following a long story over multiple weeks may be difficult for some)
Audio books
Consider these book ideas:
1. Stories by Roald Dahl are easy and fun to read, appealing to both young and old.
2. The Jeeves & Wooster series by P.G. Wodehouse

• Just William books by Richmal Compton, which are also young person's books, but can be enjoyed by older people who would have fun hearing about William's exploits.
• Adrian Mole stories by Sue Townsend
• For more moral and heartwarming stories, consider Aesop's Fables or the Chicken Soup for the Soul range of books.

Here's how to conduct the activity:
1. Gather everyone in a quiet room.
2. Read a short story or chapter to the group or play an audio book.
3. Encourage people to read the chapter or story aloud if they wish.
4. Once the story or chapter is finished, allow time to discuss it. Ask questions such as "What did you like best?", "What other books did this remind you of?", "Which character would you most like to meet?", "Who is your least favourite character?", and "How did the book make you feel?"

Top tip: Prepare a series of prompt questions to help lead the discussion. For example, if the book was about a holiday, you could ask questions about their favourite holiday as a child, such as "What holiday did you enjoy most as a child?", "Where did you go?", "Who did you go with?", etc.