Spirituality – Books and Publications

Professor John Swinton uses his background in nursing, ministry, and healthcare chaplaincy to conduct research on the relationship between spirituality and disease. In Dementia: Living in the Memories of God, Swinton explores two main questions for people living with the disease: Who am I when I’ve forgotten who I am? and What does it mean to love God and be loved by Him when I have forgotten who God is? The book puts forth Swinton’s practical theology of dementia for caregivers, people living with dementia, and others who offer them love, support, and guidance.

A product of Faith United Against Alzheimer’s, this handbook by 45 different authors represents diverse faith traditions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Native American. It provides practical help in developing services and creating dementia friendly faith communities. It gives an understanding of the cognitive, communicative and physical abilities of people with dementia and shows what chaplains, clergy and lay persons can do to engage them through worship. Included are several articles by persons living with dementia.

Ken Carder draws on his own experience as a caregiver, hospice chaplain,and pastoral practitioner to portray the gifts as well as the challenges accompanying dementia diseases. He confronts the deep personal and
theological questions created by loving people with dementia by demonstrating how living with dementia can be a means of growing in faith, wholeness, and ministry for the entire community of faith.

A growing number of people with dementia have spoken about the importance of spirituality and the difference that having a faith can make when living with the condition. This book, based around the 23rd Psalm comprises a series of Christian reflections that can offer both people with dementia and those caring for individuals a source of encouragement and hope.

Offering an inter-disciplinary approach to spirituality and personhood in dementia care, the contributors to this book are leading practitioners and researchers in the field. They provide both a theoretical structure and a practical understanding of the essential role that spirituality can play in the affirmation of personhood and identity, and of ways in which the spiritual well-being of people with dementia can be nurtured.

These are Bible and prayer guides for people with dementia – and the elderly who are struggling with memory loss; developed in consultation with ‘experts’ in dementia care. Each title includes 31 daily devotionals, ‘cues and clues’ box with suggestions of picture and object clues to help engagement with the day’s theme, and a CD with a hymn or song for every day, especially recorded for those with dementia and the elderly.

People with Alzheimer’s and dementia can thrive and have a wonderful quality of life when we believe in this possibility, recognize their spiritual energy and give them the opportunity to live their lives in an environment that is nurturing and responsive to their needs. This book will help the reader begin to rethink what is possible for their loved one and for their own life.

This resource has been created by Livability and supported by Alzheimer’s Society. This guide is for all members of the Christian community. This guide explains a bit about dementia and how it can affect people. It also explains how you can help your church become more dementia-friendly.

Redeeming Dementia aims to provide a deeper vocabulary about dementia to raise awareness and insights among the faithful and enable them better to cope and advocate for themselves, loved ones, parishioners, or people living from dementia.

This resource provides a simple outline of features that help in a church service for those with dementia including an example outline service.