Cassandra's Compass
Book Club & Bookworm Hub
One book per month to read together and discuss — plus a searchable library of every book, journal, textbook, clinical guide, and course relevant to dementia and aged care. Australian first, always.
Welcome to the Book Club
Each month, Cassandra's Compass selects one book relevant to dementia and aged care — for family carers, professionals, and students alike. Read at your own pace, reflect on the discussion questions, and share your thoughts in the community board below. There are no wrong answers here.
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This Month's Pick
October 2026
The Book About Getting Older
Lucy Pollock · 2021
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About This Book
For our October 2026 Book Club pick, we are turning to a compassionate and essential guide that helps us navigate the complexities of ageing with grace and clarity. Written by Dr. Lucy Pollock, a dedicated geriatrician, this book serves as a warm, conversational companion for families and professionals alike. It moves beyond clinical jargon to address the real-life questions we often feel too overwhelmed to ask: how to maintain independence, how to manage health changes, and how to have those vital, sometimes difficult, conversations about the future. Whether you are a family carer supporting a loved one or a professional working in aged care, this book offers a refreshing, positive perspective on what it means to grow older. It encourages us to celebrate the lives of our elders while providing practical, evidence-based wisdom to ensure that the journey of ageing is handled with dignity, humour, and the best possible care.
Key Themes
💬 Discussion Questions
How does the author’s perspective as a geriatrician change the way you view the ageing process?
What are some of the barriers to having open conversations about end-of-life care with our loved ones?
How can we better balance medical needs with the desire for a high quality of life in aged care settings?
Which chapter resonated most with your own experiences as a carer or professional?
How can we shift the societal narrative from 'fearing' old age to 'understanding' it?
What practical advice from the book could you implement in your daily caregiving routine?
How does this book help in reducing the stigma often associated with frailty or dementia?
APA 7th References
• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024). Dementia in Australia. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dementia/dementia-in-aus
• Dementia Australia. (2025). The dementia guide. https://www.dementia.org.au/get-support/dementia-guide
Book Club Discussion Board
Share your thoughts, reflections, and responses to the discussion questions
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Sharing the Dementia Australia 'You Are Not Alone' carer guide — excellent for newly diagnosed families. Covers everything from legal and financial planning to day-to-day communication tips. Free download from the Dementia Australia website. 💙
Welcome to the Share Resources board! 🌿 This is the place to share links, articles, tools, and resources that have helped you on the dementia care journey. Whether it's a great article, a government service, or a coping strategy — if it's helped you, it might help someone else.
Recommended Companion Read
The 36-Hour Day (8th Edition)
The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss
Nancy L. Mace & Peter V. Rabins · 8th Edition · 2025
As an Amazon Associate, Cassandra's Compass earns from qualifying purchases.
About This Book
This longstanding classic — now in its 8th edition — is newly updated with the latest practices in dementia care. It provides comprehensive, compassionate advice on daily challenges, behavioural management, legal and financial issues, and self-care for carers. Widely regarded as essential and highly practical for book clubs focused on real-world application. Pair it with a memoir like Somebody I Used to Know by Wendy Mitchell for balanced perspectives (practical + personal). Available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.
🏆 Awards & Recognition
Over 3.5 million copies sold worldwide · Translated into 10+ languages · The definitive dementia caregiving guide for over 40 years · Endorsed by the Alzheimer's Association and Dementia Australia · Used in nursing and social work programs internationally
APA 7th Reference
Mace, N. L., & Rabins, P. V. (2025). The 36-hour day: A family guide to caring for people with Alzheimer disease, other dementias, and memory loss (8th ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.
Recommended Reading
A Curated Library Beyond the Monthly Pick
🧭 Practical Guides
The 36-Hour Day
Nancy L. Mace & Peter V. Rabins
The definitive family guide to caring for someone with dementia at home — daily care, behaviours, legal and financial planning, and carer self-care, refined across four decades of editions.
Find this bookLearning to Speak Alzheimer's
Joanne Koenig Coste
A pioneering, practical approach to communication built on meeting people where they are and focusing on what remains rather than what is lost.
Find this bookCreating Moments of Joy
Jolene Brackey
A warm, encouraging book full of simple, concrete ideas for creating positive moments and meaningful connections throughout the day.
Find this book🎓 Professional / Student Reading
Dementia Reconsidered: The Person Comes First
Tom Kitwood
The foundational text on person-centred dementia care — essential reading for nursing students, aged care staff, and professionals who want to understand the theory behind modern practice.
Find this book📖 Memoir & Fiction
Still Alice
Lisa Genova
A novel narrated from inside early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, widely used in nursing education to build empathy and insight into the lived experience.
Find this book🎈 For Children & Families
The Remember Balloons
Jessie Oliveros
A gentle, award-winning picture book where memories are balloons — helping young children understand why Grandpa’s balloons are floating away, and why he still needs theirs.
Find this bookWhat's Happening to Grandpa?
Maria Shriver
A compassionate picture book for children about a grandfather’s memory loss, encouraging families to cherish the memories a grandparent can still make.
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Reading Shelf
Spiritual & Faith Perspectives
Dementia and caregiving touch people of every faith and none. This space welcomes perspectives from all traditions — and from secular worldviews — on hardship, caregiving, and loss. If you know a resource from your own faith or philosophical background that belongs here, suggest it through Community Contributions. Every book below is labelled with the perspective it comes from, so nothing here is presented as universal.
Walking with God through Deep Valleys: Lessons on Finding Contentment when Life is Hard
Dr. Stephen A. Gammon
A pastor and military chaplain's honest reflections after his own cancer diagnosis — lessons on faith, endurance, and finding contentment when life is hard, drawn from the updates he shared with his wife on CaringBridge throughout his treatment.
Find this bookAs an Amazon Associate, Cassandra's Compass earns from qualifying purchases.
Want to suggest a book for a future month? Email admin@cassandras-compass-dementia-care.org — we read every suggestion. All book links open external retailers or free resources. As an Amazon Associate, Cassandra's Compass earns from qualifying purchases.
Knowledge is empowerment. The more you understand dementia, the more confidently — and compassionately — you can care.
— Cassandra's Compass