"Dementia friendly"--what does that mean?
On YouTube I found a video of a well-known Christian hymn that says it is dementia friendly.
Listen to: Jesus Calls Us, O'er the Tumult
It's produced by a ministry called Spiritual Eldercare. Their mission is "Ministering to older adults with Alzheimer's and other dementias."
They define "dementia friendly" as
"Sing-along hymns specially arranged for elders with Alzheimer's and other dementias (shorter, slower, and in a lower key)."
Two things are beautiful about this ministry:
1) that some Christians value those who are warehoused in "memory care" wards and consider their spiritual needs.
2) that they have found ways to modify hymns and to reach them.
Music is one way to reach people whose minds are failing. I know this from my years of accompanying my mother through her Alzheimer's.
When you slow the music down and make the lyrics shorter and more understandable, you are throwing a life preserver out to a person who could sink under the water.
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