Let me be honest: I like libraries. I’m a lifelong patron of public libraries, so when my elderly mother moved into an apartment nearby, I wanted to find books for her to enjoy. That went well until the effects of dementia took a toll, and I found it harder to converse with her.
She had trouble answering questions, processing what I was saying, and finding her words, and this made her anxious. I found that books were a helpful bridge. We could sit together, look at a book, read and discuss it in a relaxed way. Our focus was on the library books, and it made it easier for both of us.
In the beginning I found that my mother most enjoyed nonfiction books on topics of interest to her. The large print in children’s books was easier for her to read, and together we learned a lot about dogs, cats, tigers, trains, farms, flowers, all 50 states and more. Sometimes the topics brought up memories of past times and places. She resisted children’s story books at first, so we stayed with nonfiction books.
With time, she accepted and enjoyed fictional books in the Beginning Readers category. The simple vocabulary and artwork made these perfect for reading together. I would read aloud to her, and sometimes then she would read aloud to me. In time she enjoyed picture books intended for young children. Realistic artwork was always more welcome than abstract. Imaginative stories and drawings tended to confuse her, so I chose more traditional ones. Stories that should have been familiar were brand new. (She was distressed when the big, bad wolf ate up the grandmother, so I had to hurry to the end when she and Little Red Riding Hood were rescued.)
My mother and father instilled a love of reading in me, and I enjoyed reading to her just as she had read to me many years ago. The library was a wonderful source of books for us to enjoy together, and I am grateful for all this wonderful bridge that helped us converse in a relaxing way.
Reading materials we enjoyed:
•"Birds and Blooms" magazine; "Missouri Conservationist"; "Xplor," Missouri conservation magazine for kids.
•"Who Was?" book series by Penguin Random House. There are 224 books on topics like Dolly Parton, Michael Jordan, George Washington and the Statue of Liberty, reading level for 8- to 12-year-olds.
•"National Geographic for Kids," books and magazines.
•The books about the Berenstain Bears, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Biscuit and many others were entertaining.
Columnist Diane Cooke, often featured on the Quill’s Church & Religion Page sharing her thoughts on scripture as pastor of the Mtn. View and Willow Springs Presbyterian churches, wrote this commentary following the death of her mother, Ina Lee Cooke, in April 2025. She graciously submitted her thoughts for publication in recognition of Older Americans Month, recognized each May.
