There are plenty of videos available online at resource sites and YouTube that provide information on dementia or share patient and caregiver experiences and thoughts. Here are some selected English videos. Links are also included for pages with dementia/ care videos in Indian languages.
Some recent Indian movies include depiction of characters who have dementia. A list of these movies, and comments on how suitable they are for understanding dementia and associated care is available at: Indian movies depicting dementia.
- English videos/ playlists from dementia organizations, explaining dementia and care concepts: Selected from reputed national organizations such as Alzheimer’s Disease International Alzheimer’s Society, UK, Alzheimer’s Society Canada, Alzheimer’s Society of Australia and Lewy Body Dementia Association.
- India-based English videos: documentaries and explanations of dementia, and caregiver stories.
- English videos explaining specific care topics, created specially for family caregivers in India.
- English videos selected from the world sharing personal experiences of dementia
- Videos in other Indian languages: Videos in various Indian languages are included in our pages with dementia resources in Indian languages. Click these links for these languages: Bengali, Gujarati,Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu
Anyone can put up a video on YouTube, so please be careful. Use only videos from reputed, authentic sources for medical advice.
English videos/ playlists from dementia organizations, explaining dementia and care concepts.
Various national dementia organizations have YouTube channels where they upload videos to share their activities and events, educate people about dementia and care topics, and share experiences of families living with dementia. Below is a selection from some reputed entities. Use them to get basic concepts of dementia, symptoms, progression, treatment, etc., and an idea of the care involved. However, please keep in mind that they were created for other countries and assume a diagnosis and care support system very different from what we have in India.
Alzheimer’s Society UK has several playlists Opens in new window, including one set of very small videos on the brain and on the brain changes in various dementia diseases. Each video is 1 to 2 minutes long, and focused on the physical changes in the brain. Topics include: How does the brain work, How do brain cells work, What is Dementia, What is Alzheimer’s Disease, What is Vascular Dementia, What is Fronto Temporal Dementia, What is Dementia with Lewy Bodies, etc You can view a playlist with this brain tour using the link here Opens in new window, or use the player below.
Another useful playlist is The Dementia Guide Opens in new window.
The YouTube channel of Alzheimer’s Disease International Opens in new window includes a playlist of videos for Caring for a person with dementia Opens in new window.
The YouTube channel of Alzheimer’s Society of Australia has several playlists, of which the playlist Living with dementia Opens in new window may be of special interest, especially its short clips on living with various types of dementia.
The YouTube location for The Lewy Body Dementia Association offers many videos on this form of dementia. View their playlists here Opens in new window. Of special interest is the playlist: Behavioral Challenges in LBD Opens in new window.
Alzheimer’s Society of Canada also has a YouTube channel, with several playlists of videos. One playlist that may especially be of interest is Care at Home Series Opens in new window.
India-based English videos: documentaries and explanations of dementia, and caregiver stories.
Series of videos on dementia from NIMHANS, Bangalore.
NIMHANS, Bangalore has a video series on dementia. Topics include: Introduction, Diagnosis and treatment, Risk factors and prevention, Tips and strategies for caregivers of dementia patients, ,and behavioral problems in dementia patients. You can view these as a playlist below.
Pictorial education on dementia, by the 10/66 Dementia Research Group.
This excellent presentation depicts the impact of dementia on the patient and family. This presentation uses an Indian setting. You can view “Pictorial education on dementia” directly on slideshare Opens in new window or click the image below .
A Burden of Love: a Indian documentary showing families coping with dementia, and also specialists talking about it.
This 1998 video features several Indian families coping with dementia. It including interviews with the relatives as well as explanations and commentaries by specialists. Please note that while the description and discussions on dementia and care challenges are very relevant, the data on the current available day care and respite care is from 1998, and hence outdated. (If the YouTube player does not load, watch “A Burden of Love” directly on YouTube Opens in new window.)
Portraits of Care.
In this touching and poignant documentary by Anjan Kumar, “Portraits of Care”, four Chennai-based caregivers share their experiences as home caregivers. Through their interviews we get an opportunity to understand more of the ground realities of caregiving in India. (Note that Chennai-based Care Cubed, mentioned in the video, has not been functioning since Aug/ Sep 2015.)
View the CareCubed video on YouTube Opens in new window, or click the play button below.
Interviews of a dementia caregiver in India.
Two interviews of an Indian caregiver looking after her mother are shared below. The first one discusses dementia care, awareness, and problems faced. The second one shares experiences of late-stage dementia care at home, and was recorded after her mother passed away.(If the YouTube player does not load, you can watch the earlier interview directly on YouTube here Opens in new window and watch the late-stage care video directly on YouTube hereOpens in new window.)
Helping with Daily Activities, a small video example of a family facing dementia problems.
(If the YouTube player does not load, you can watch “Helping with Daily Activities, an example” on YouTube Opens in new window.)
Videos explaining specific care topics,created specially for family caregivers in India.
- Communicating: This detailed video discusses the types of problems that dementia persons face when trying to understand others or when talking to others. It offers communication methods suitable for such situations and uses pictures and sketches to explain. View the video here: Dementia and Communication Opens in new window.
- Wandering: Most persons with dementia wander; some of them are not located for days, and some get seriously injured, even die. India does not have good support systems to locate and assist wandering dementia persons. This detailed video discuss the needs and restlessness that may cause wandering. It has suggestions for reducing wandering, and for how to get the persons home safe and fast in case they wander. Pictures and sketches are used to explain, and captions are available. View the video here: Dementia and Wandering Opens in new window.
You can also view this set as a playlist below:
English: Selections from across the world on special topics.
Wendy Mitchell, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2014 at the age of 58, talks about her experiences as a person with dementia in this video recorded in 2021 May, and also answers question s of viewers (interview courtesy Silver Talkies, an India-based entity. (If the YouTube player does not load, you can view Silver Talkies Presents Adapting To Life With Dementia on YouTube Opens in new window.)
Going Home: This is a prize-winning video showing the confusion and wandering of a dementia patient. (If the YouTube player does not load, you can view Going Home on YouTube Opens in new window.)
My name is Lisa: This is a prize-winning video on the impact of a mother’s Alzheimer’s on a thirteen-year-old girl, very sensitively made. (If the youtube player does not load, you can view the Lisa video on YouTube Opens in new window.)
Interviews of family and friends of dementia patients: For more interviews, also see: view the videos of family and friends here Opens in new window.
Shared personal stories for non-Alzheimer’s Dementia: This selection of experience-sharing by families is related to less-common forms of dementia.
- Audrey and Alan’s story of living with vascular dementia Opens in new window from Alzheimer’s Society.
- Living with Lewy Body Dementia Opens in new window from Mayo Clinic.
- Frontotemporal Dementia Opens in new window from Mayo Clinic.
A player with the above personal story videos is given below for your convenience.
Families living with dementia are increasingly sharing their personal experiences online, especially families outside India, and you can search for more videos on YouTube, too.
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