Short stories for mum

[Cathbach]

My mum was always a voracious reader but now finds that she can’t concentrate or focus for more than about a page or so.
Does anyone know of any well written, engaging short stories that would be suitable? I’ve tried Amazon but the books on it seem to be all American and very badly written.
Yes, mum needs something simpler and shorter but she won’t appreciate anything patronising!

 

[Kevinl]

Lots of free audio downloads on the BBC radio 4 and 4 extra websites, anything from women's hour to book readings and all free in the licencee fee.
A good actor/actress can recite a book like you're reading it for yourself. Some great stuff on there and as I say it's all free, BBC iPlayer. K

 

[maggie6445]

There are books of short stories, 100 word or 500 word stories. Amazon sell them, would they be of any use?

 

[canary]

Most writers have written short stories as well as novels. Think about what authors your mum liked and google them to see if they have written books of short stories - they are usually published as a collection of several stories in a single book

 

[SeaSwallow]

If your mum likes murder mysteries there is a book called MARPLE. It is a series of short stories by various famous authors featuring the Agatha Christie character Miss Marple. I enjoyed it when I read it recently at a time when I was finding my concentration levels were not good.

 

[Emski]

My mum is the same and we've recently introduced magazines, as they are usually short pieces. We've tried a few different ones on topics that shes interested in like the garden, and wildlife. Its not perfect but seems to be an additional reading option for her.

 

[jennifer1967]

some of the magazines have short stories each week and a bumper collection every so often.

 

[maggie6445]

On Amazon there's a a book of 500 word stories ,it's an anthology by a Welsh creative writing group.
Are you sure though that your mum still has the cognitive skills to be able to decode the written word and understand? Reading is only reading if decoding with meaning .
If she can read does she have the memory to recall the story where she left off?
As suggested already ,reading magazines might be the best reading material if her recall is poor.

Actually when I googled for info I found a short story about the diary of a £5 note. Written a by child in the older category of the the children's competition. Thought it was an interesting little piece of writing. Or maybe worked with children too long 🤣

 

[Harky]

Amazon there's a a book of 500 word stories ,it's an anthology by a Welsh creative writing group.
Are you sure though that your mum still has the cognitive skills to be able to decode the written word and understand? Reading is only reading if decoding with meaning .
If she can read does she have the memory to recall the story where she left off?
As suggested already ,reading magazines might be the best reading material if her recall is poor.

Actually when I googled for info I found a short story about the diary of a £5 note. Written a by child in the older category of the the children's competition. Thought it was an interesting little piece of writing. Or maybe worked with children too long 🤣

In our area the library issue tapes where people record their voices onto them. However, not all areas have libraries now.

 

[Mumlikesflowers]

In my book reading is reading even if the person just thinks they are reading, maybe because they have a sense that they were a reader. Poems work well for this. I found Mum reading the index to her poetry anthology this morning. Partly it's just holding the book, turning the pages and seeing words. Mum will read poems out loud and often she gets the word totally wrong but it's the looking and verbalising and the momentum that all hold her attention. There are some poetry anthologies on Amazon for PWD but Mum doesn't need half the poem Daffodils by Wordsworth, which they present, she can manage the whole thing.

 

[maggie6445]

Hi @Mumlikesflowers
"In my book reading is reading even if the person just thinks they are reading,."
I can see what your trying to say but reading is decoding and understanding. Thinking they are reading is that ,thinking they are .
Of course there is some value in thinking you are reading, stimulating memory and imagination . Small children do this ,it encourages a feeling for books and for someone with dementia may give comfort to a previous avid reader. But.. any book given to them will do that. It doesn't have to be a a newly introduced book purchased with great thought and expense.
The OP was looking for books for her mum ,I was asking if she had the cognitive function to actually read. I asked that because OH watched TV programmes ,still does ,but he could be watching any thing moving across the screen. It's why pwd watch the same programme over and over again ,there is comfort in some kind of familiarity.


Sorry ry not sure how the attachment has happened but I can't delete it

 

[jennifer1967]

i knew of a person in a care home that always carried a big book. they would sit there and turn the pages. i used to think its taking them a long time to read it but all they were doing was turning the pages. they wouldnt have remermbered what they read. i think its the feel, smell, print, the way the pages turn, how big it is but not necessarily reading and understanding as well as remembering what they have read.
it could be a comfort thing that they knew they loved books and holding a book brings back that comfort and memories of that time. it really doesnt need to be properly read understood cognitively but what they get out of it as is.

 

[SelahRosario]

You can check out some classic books written by Oscar Wilde. Also, just google short stories for adults. I've heard that some people find helpful reading children's books.

 

[Seloptape]

My mum was always a voracious reader but now finds that she can’t concentrate or focus for more than about a page or so.
Does anyone know of any well written, engaging short stories that would be suitable? I’ve tried Amazon but the books on it seem to be all American and very badly written.
Yes, mum needs something simpler and shorter but she won’t appreciate anything patronising!

My mum was also a great reader ...she was a headmistress and taught english literature as well. Now she cant read any books although she likes to have them there and will sometimes tell us she is reading a book but we know she isn't !
She now reads magazines and the newspaper as thats quite short stories ...the magazines in the Sunday papers can keep her going all week. It doesn't really matter if she doesn't remember anything and I often just sit and chat to her about the articles .
But some great ideas here ...maybe I will look for some of these very short stories

 

[Seloptape]

i knew of a person in a care home that always carried a big book. they would sit there and turn the pages. i used to think its taking them a long time to read it but all they were doing was turning the pages. they wouldnt have remermbered what they read. i think its the feel, smell, print, the way the pages turn, how big it is but not necessarily reading and understanding as well as remembering what they have read.
it could be a comfort thing that they knew they loved books and holding a book brings back that comfort and memories of that time. it really doesnt need to be properly read understood cognitively but what they get out of it as is.

Great reply and very true

 

[Cathbach]

Thank you everyone for your ideas and advice. I’ve taken some magazines in before, but I have no idea what she does with them (She’s in a care home). She won’t look at them with me there because she wants to talk to me. Also tried some short stories, and some Gervase Phinn anecdotal books (she was a teacher). I also tried recording myself reading some short stories on an iPad, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone who has time to help with any form of tech and mum certainly can’t do it herself. If I gave her an iPad or a Walkman, they’d disappear by the next visit! The carers tell me she has a drawer full of books, goodness knows where she got them from!
Her short term memory is dreadful, so she’d need something v short…poems could work, she always liked Pam Ayers.
Thank you all

 

[canary]

Poems worked with my mum too @Cathbach .I found a book of poetry in her home - The Golden Treasury of Verse - so I read her some of the poems in it and discovered that she had memorised some of them (at school. I think) and could still recite them, so we would often say them together.

 

[SelahRosario]

Thank you everyone for your ideas and advice. I’ve taken some magazines in before, but I have no idea what she does with them (She’s in a care home). She won’t look at them with me there because she wants to talk to me. Also tried some short stories, and some Gervase Phinn anecdotal books (she was a teacher). I also tried recording myself reading some short stories on an iPad, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone who has time to help with any form of tech and mum certainly can’t do it herself. If I gave her an iPad or a Walkman, they’d disappear by the next visit! The carers tell me she has a drawer full of books, goodness knows where she got them from!
Her short term memory is dreadful, so she’d need something v short…poems could work, she always liked Pam Ayers.
Thank you all

Can't you track the iPad where it went?
But if it disappears, then there's no point in giving it.
Also, you can find plenty of books at train station shops. You can ask for some recommendations for short stories there.

 

[SherwoodSue]

On Amazon there's a a book of 500 word stories ,it's an anthology by a Welsh creative writing group.
Are you sure though that your mum still has the cognitive skills to be able to decode the written word and understand? Reading is only reading if decoding with meaning .
If she can read does she have the memory to recall the story where she left off?
As suggested already ,reading magazines might be the best reading material if her recall is poor.

Actually when I googled for info I found a short story about the diary of a £5 note. Written a by child in the older category of the the children's competition. Thought it was an interesting little piece of writing. Or maybe worked with children too long 🤣

With regard to the retention of the written word and the decoding all I would throw in the pot is does it matter?

My mum can’t seem to follow TV anymore , yet she pours over her books. She frequently falls asleep book in hand and can’t recall the plot
In the moment though on the page at that time she is diverted 🙂
Library service deliver her a box of books a month.

 

[maggie6445]

With regard to the retention of the written word and the decoding all I would throw in the pot is does it matter?

My mum can’t seem to follow TV anymore , yet she pours over her books. She frequently falls asleep book in hand and can’t recall the plot
In the moment though on the page at that time she is diverted 🙂
Library service deliver her a box of books a month.

I agree with you ,having a book in the hand, associated smell ,feel can be comforting and therefore important to someone especially if they have been an avid reader.
The point of my original response to the OP was whether the OP efforts in finding a book that was not American ,poorly written etc was worth the effort and expense if the value was purely from the feel ,smell and comforting factor of holding a book. In that case any book would evoke the same comfort. Of course,if the pwd is still able to read, decode and understand, at some level,then finding reading material suitable is worth the effort.
I was checking that OP had considered that her mum,who she may not spend a vast amount of time with,may not just be pretending to read.