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About




 

 

                             Our Mission

We believe individuals with dementia should have access to age-appropriate, dignifying,                                                                                                                                    adaptive recreation.

 

 

 

 

 

Our Story

Named after founder Rachel Thompsons' grandmothers Marilyn and Helena, Marlena Books was created to encourage individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia to keep reading. Marilyn lives with dementia and inspired Thompson to create recreational tools for individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia who are often left with limited recreational tools to engage with.

At Marlena Books, our team values the importance of maintaining dignity for individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia. We are focused on improving the well-being of individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia. Our products have been well received by the dementia community and we are expanding our product line to better support the needs of individuals living with Alzheimer's and dementia. Our customers have expressed their love for our products, vision, and our support to individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia to engage in their favourite leisure activities while feeling dignified. 

Books are able to be read independently or used with friends, family, or support partners. They feature mature, engaging content at appropriate reading levels in order to ensure that readers can navigate throughout the books with ease. The books also include beautiful, captivating artwork to enhance the reading experience.

Marlena Books promotes ability and dignity for all individuals and is committed to providing #ReadingBeyondDementia.

For more information please contact us.


Testimonials

I took the books to mom today. She always liked hockey (partly because she has three sons after a daughter) and started reading aloud right away! In fact read most of the book aloud while I was there. So happy to have received four of your books. Thank you again for sharing your literary skills! Since vascular dementia set in 5 to 6 years ago, I had never seen her pick up a book and just start reading aloud plus comment as she read. Thank you!

 - Sharon and mother, Betty 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A happy customer, thank you! - daughter of a 95-year-old living with dementia

 

 

 

 

  


I love your books and love the fact that they are not making a senior or adult with dementia feel like they are reading a child’s book. My Mom has always loved reading, and as the Alzheimer’s progresses, she is not picking up the newspaper, magazine or book herself anymore, I don’t think it occurs to her anymore. However, when being read to, or reading together, Mom will still read along some of the words in your books. I removed a child’s Sonic Hedgehog comic-like book, or some title like that, from her room since my Mom has always been highly intelligent and as the disease progressed got very agitated if she felt she was being spoken down to, or treated like she was “dumb” (her word not mine). Novels would be too hard for Mom to follow along with or even remember what happened from one paragraph to the next. Your books ensure Mom still keeps her dignity while reading them or being read to and enables her to follow along with the story. It is such an awesome thing you have and are doing creating these books. Thank you!! - Janet and her mother, Wylma

 

It gives us special time together, but also allows me to keep an eye on cognitive changes - is she reading the right words, is she understanding what she reads, or is today a day that I will do the reading for her. - Marlena Books customer

If you have your own testimonial you would like to share with us, please contact us.