Reading Well
The Reading Agency’s Reading Well – Books on Prescription supports you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing using helpful reading. The books are all chosen and recommended by health experts, as well as by people living with the conditions and topics covered, and their relatives and carers.
Titles are available for anyone to borrow from Lincs Inspire Libraries and many are available as eBooks and eAudiobooks from our eLibrary Libby. You can also be recommended a book by a health professional to support treatment.
There are five booklists currently available.
Dementia
Reading Well for dementia provides information and advice for people living with dementia, support for living well, advice for relatives and carers, as well as fiction, memoir and photographic books used in reminiscence therapy.
Long Term Conditions
Reading Well for long term conditions provides information and support for people living with a long term health condition and their carers. The booklist covers general advice and information about living with a long term condition, common symptoms and titles focused on specific conditions such as arthritis, bowel conditions, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Mental Health
Reading Well for mental health provides helpful information and support for managing common mental health conditions, or dealing with difficult feelings and experiences. Some books also include personal stories from people who are living with or caring for someone with mental health needs.
Young People (Shelf Help)
Reading Well for young people recommends expert endorsed books about mental health, providing 12-18 year olds with advice and information about issues like anxiety, stress and OCD, and difficult experiences like bullying and exams.
Children
Reading Well for children provides quality-assured information, stories and advice to support children’s mental health and wellbeing. It covers general information and advice about understanding and managing feelings, school and online pressures, bereavement, parental mental health needs, and living well with specific diagnosed conditions and physical disabilities.
The booklist is targeted at children in Key Stage 2 (aged 7-11), but includes titles aimed at a wide range of reading levels to support less confident readers, and to encourage children to read together with their siblings and carers.
