Journalist Jo Glanville has challenged novelist Ian McEwan's description of dementia patients as 'dead', arguing that reading aloud to her parents revealed their cognitive abilities remained intact. McEwan recently called for extending assisted dying to people with dementia, describing his mother's condition as 'radioactive damage'.
Glanville's mother Pamela died of vascular dementia ten years ago, while her father Brian Glanville, a football journalist, died last year from Parkinson's with mild dementia. She discovered that both parents responded positively to being read to throughout their illnesses, retaining comprehension and vocabulary.
Her father, who appeared vacant and unable to initiate conversation, would engage fully when read to. On one occasion, he noticed she was reading Arthur Koestler's memoirs out of chronological order. Glanville emphasises that silence does not equate to absence of understanding.
Research from The Reader charity supports her experience, showing reading aloud reduces symptom severity and improves wellbeing in dementia patients. Glanville concludes that connection remains possible even in advanced stages, opposing assisted dying for those who cannot advocate for themselves.
