Public libraries' involvement in creating a dementia friendly society

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe WHO recommendations on creating dementia friendly society that helps combat stigma, and improve quality of life for people with dementia, has many parties involved. Over the years the free public libraries in the Scandinavian welfare model has developed interventions towards groups with special needs, but little is known about the needs and wishes of people with dementia. In collaboration, three libraries in Denmark has explored how they can contributed to fulfilling the national goal of creating a dementia friendly society. The aim was to investigate how special programmes towards people with dementia, and their relatives, were received by the target group, and employees at the libraries.MethodThree public libraries in Denmark developed activities based on oral text‐reading supported by pictures and/or visits to relevant museums, in order to create stimulating cultural input covering different literary genres. Between five and nine group activity’s were performed at the libraries, having 15 persons with dementia – some with the assistance of relatives – participated in the program. The sessions lasted one and a half hour. The participants lived at home with support primarily from their spouse. The participants were interviewed no later than one week after the last activity about their experiences participating in the program, and recommendation for the library sectors involvement in creating a dementia friendly society. In addition, staff involved in the activities were interviewed to document their experiences of working with people with dementia. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using thematic analyses.ResultThe programs activities were well received and dropout rate was low. The activities helped the persons with dementia re‐experience the joy of literature, and stimulated them culturally, as well as intellectually. The staff was supportive of the library sectors involvement in creating a dementia friendly society, but pointed out that knowledge about dementia and the organisation in small groups were barriers for further deployment of the program.ConclusionThe results showed promising results regarding public libraries involvement in creating a dementia friendly society.