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The Germ's Journey team are excited to announce the development of a brand new book that has been specifically created for older people living with dementia to use alongside young children. Co-created alongside those living with dementia, nurses and researchers in the field, the aim of the book is to increase awareness of respiratory disease and improve infection prevention practices amongst both children and adults.

So far, over 1,500 books have been donated nationwide to care providers, local councils and governments to distribute to those living with dementia.

An area of growing interest in Dementia studies is intergenerational programmes (IGP) where older people with dementia maintain close links / working alongside / learning together with children. Mostly this is achieved by children visiting care homes. However the Germ’s Journey dementia book helps support IGP by focusing on people living with dementia and them maintaining their familial roles as grandparents.

This role typically involves educating and helping grandchildren with their hygiene. A important infection control parameter during the pandemic is  handwashing and grandparents often take a key familial/social role in getting grandchildren to wash their hands.

This book allows people living with dementia to continue this familial social role. Not only educating children about handwashing but also allowing and facilitating their role as grandparents once more, leading to a positive impact on their own social and psychological health / self-esteem/ image leading to better quality of life.



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