Work lends 'voice' to dementia patient wishes

From Western News, June 26, 2018
By Aniruddho Chokroborty-Hoque

Grant Campbell vividly remembers playing violin next to his mother’s hospital bed and how, for brief moments, song became the communication bridge between them.

“She would hear me play a familiar song,” he said. “Out of the fog of dementia, the lyrics would come back.”

When both Campbell’s parents were diagnosed with dementia, he thought, “Well, I must do research – it will make everything better. Unfortunately, it’s rarely that simple.”

The Faculty of Information & Media Studies professor’s research, which began with that personal quest 10 years ago, hopes to help dementia patients communicate their needs to their caregivers – from family members to professional support workers (continue reading).