A familiar song, a gentle touch: Rethinking dementia care

Imagine looking at your own home and feeling like a stranger. Or seeing your children but believing they are still at school. For people living with dementia, such confusion can turn ordinary days into frightening experiences.

In Bangladesh, an estimated six lakh older adults live with dementia, a condition that gradually affects memory, thinking and everyday activities. With the country’s ageing population, this number could reach 20 lakh by 2050.

While medicines may ease certain symptoms, they cannot cure dementia. Yet comfort, connection and dignity can still be preserved through surprisingly simple activities.

Sometimes, the most powerful care begins without a prescription. Music, painting, gardening, gentle exercise and familiar conversations can help people with dementia feel calmer, happier and more connected to their surroundings.

A favourite childhood song may awaken comforting memories. Colouring flowers can offer an outlet for emotions when words become difficult. Holding someone’s hand or sharing an affectionate hug may provide reassurance when familiar faces seem unfamiliar.

For Bangladeshi families, these approaches need not involve expensive equipment or specialised facilities.

Consider an elderly woman who spent decades preparing meals for her family. Although she now struggles to recognise her loved ones, washing vegetables or sorting familiar kitchen items may restore a sense of purpose and belonging.

Similarly, walking around the courtyard, listening to familiar music or reminiscing about childhood can make daily life more enjoyable.

Maintaining familiar surroundings also matters. Frequently rearranging furniture may increase confusion, while a predictable routine can offer reassurance.

When someone insists that their grown-up child is still attending school, arguing may only deepen their distress. Instead, acknowledging their feelings and gently redirecting attention towards a comforting activity can help.

These approaches are not substitutes for medical care. Their effectiveness varies, and activities should always match the person’s abilities, preferences and safety needs.

Even when memories disappear, the need to feel loved remains unchanged.

The writer is a Public Health Coordinator–Research and Programme at Bangladeshi-Canadian Community Services (BCS), Toronto, Canada.

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