Last Spring, I was in Sydney, Australia, working on my research project and carrying my dream of permanently residing in the country. After decades of professional research and engagement, I was preparing for my new life abroad.

One day, I received a message that suddenly changed my life. I learned that one of the most loving members of my family had been diagnosed with dementia.

As I began researching the disease, I found that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), dementia is the seventh leading cause of death globally. In 2021, around 57 million people worldwide were living with dementia. The WHO also reports that more than 10 million new cases are recorded each year. In 2019, dementia was linked to around 1.6 million deaths worldwide.

It was surprising to learn that around 60 percent of people living with dementia are in developing and least-developed countries, where healthcare facilities are often limited. The disease also places an enormous burden on individuals, families, and national economies.

According to the report, the global economic burden of dementia is around $1.3 trillion a year, including direct medical expenses and care costs. Without greater investment in early diagnosis, prevention, timely treatment, caregiver support and public health services, the WHO estimates that the economic burden of dementia could rise to $2.8 trillion by 2030.

This news was devastating for me, as it is for many families facing similar situations around the world. Dementia is not merely a disease that causes memory loss; it can also affect a person’s emotions, communication skills, and personality, while placing a profound emotional and financial burden on the entire family.

The diagnosis brought fear, uncertainty, and many unanswered questions. At that point, my dream of settling in Australia became less important. My priority was to return to my homeland and ensure that my loved one received the care and treatment they needed.

I immediately returned to Nepal and began making inquiries about healthcare services. Like many others I encountered during my research, I wanted to understand the condition better and find the best possible treatment for my loved one.

The search for medical treatment

My first step was to consult a psychiatrist. After evaluating the condition of the patient, the psychiatrist prescribed two tablets to be consumed every evening for 21 days.

We carefully followed the medical advice. However, within the first week of treatment, my loved one developed severe anxiety. The emotional distress increased, and I became concerned about whether the medication was producing the desired effect.

After completing the prescribed courses, I decided to seek another opinion. A second psychiatrist reviewed the condition and added another medication for one month. The psychiatrist also suggested that, after completing the treatment, brain imaging focusing on the hippocampus should be conducted.

The hippocampus is one of the brain’s most important structures for learning and memory. Pioneering researchers Dr Heiko Braak and Dr Eva Braak, neuropathologists at the University of Ulm in Germany, found that changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease often begin in specific brain regions involved in memory before spreading to other areas of the brain.

Unfortunately, after the additional medication, my loved one became physically weaker. Watching someone so precious lose strength was heartbreaking.

Concerned about this deterioration, I consulted another psychiatrist who was also the professor and mentor of the previous psychiatrists. After reviewing the complete medical history and treatment response, he adjusted the medical plan.

Gradually, the condition became more stable. Anxiety reduced, physical strength improved, and daily activities became easier.

This experience taught me an important lesson: dementia care requires patience, continuous observation, and individualised treatment. Every person responds differently, and medical decisions should be carefully monitored.

Introducing meditation as complementary care

Although medical treatment helped stabilise the condition, I realised that dementia care involves much more than medication. Dementia affects emotional health, confidence, sleep, and personal connection with the surrounding world.

Having practiced meditation for three decades and trained as a mindfulness meditation teacher, I decided to introduce gentle meditation sessions into my loved one’s daily routine.

The sessions were simple and adapted according to ability. They included mindful breathing, relaxation practices, loving-kindness meditation, and moments of peaceful awareness.

Initially, maintaining attention was difficult. However, with patience and regular practice, meditation gradually became a comforting part of daily life.

Over time, I observed encouraging changes. My loved one became calmer than before, anxiety reduced, sleep improved, and emotional stability increased. Meditation did not bring back the lost memories or cure dementia, but it appeared to create greater peace, comfort, and emotional balance. This personal experience encouraged me to explore the scientific evidence behind meditation and dementia care.

What science says about meditation and the brain

Modern neuroscience has increasingly examined how meditation influences the brain, emotions, and stress responses.

One of the most influential studies was conducted by Dr Madhav Goyal and colleagues at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the USA. Their Systematic review and meta-analysis, published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2014, analyzed clinical trials involving thousands of participants. The researchers found that mindfulness meditation programs were associated with improvements in anxiety, depression, and psychological stress.

Dr Goyal and his colleagues emphasized that mediation must not replace medical treatment but can serve as a valuable complementary approach for improving mental well-being.

For people living with dementia, emotional symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, depression, and sleep difficulties can significantly reduce the quality of life. Therefore, approaches that improve emotional regulation may have meaningful benefits.

Meditation, neuroplasticity and the brain health

One of the most fascinating discoveries in neuroscience is neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to adapt and reorganise throughout life.

Research by Dr Sara W Lazar, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, USA, provided important evidence on meditation and brain structure. Using MRI technology, Dr Lazar and her team found that experienced meditators showed differences in cortical thickness in brain regions associated with attention, sensory processing, and emotional regulation.

Their findings suggested that meditation experience may be associated with changes in brain areas involved in cognitive and emotional functions.

Further research by Dr Yi-Yan Tang, Distinguished Professor at Texas Tech University, USA, Dr Britta K Holzel of the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and Dr Michel I Ponser of the University of Oregon, USA, examined the neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Their reviews explained that mindfulness practices influence the brain networks involved in attention, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and stress management.

These findings are important because dementia involves changes in many of these same brain systems. However, researchers caution that meditation cannot reverse dementia related brain damage. Instead, it may help strengthen emotional resilience and improve quality of life.

Meditation, stress and dementia caregivers

Dementia affects not only the person diagnosed but also the caregivers. Family members often experience emotional exhaustion, stress, anxiety, and uncertainty.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), developed by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, USA, has become one of the most widely studied mindfulness programmes in the world. His research demonstrated that mindfulness practices can help people manage stress, pain, and emotional challenges.

Researchers involving dementia caregivers have also shown encouraging results. Dr Kirk Warren Brown, Professor of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University, USA, and his colleagues studied mindfulness-based approaches for caregivers of people with dementia. Their findings suggested improvements in stress management, emotional resilience, and psychological well-being.

A healthier caregiver can create a more supportive and compassionate environment for the person living with dementia.

Meditation is not a cure, but it can support healing

It is important to maintain scientific honesty. Meditation is not a cure for dementia. Current evidence does not show that meditation can stop Alzheimer’s disease, restore damaged brain cells, or replace medical treatment. However, meditation is a safe, affordable, and non-invasive practice that may complement conventional care. When combined with appropriate medication, physical activity, cognitive stimulation, healthy nutrition, and meaningful social relationships, meditation may contribute to improved emotional health and quality of life.

The goal of dementia care should not only be to add years to life but also to add life to those years.

A journey that changed my purpose

My journey from Sydney back to Kathmandu transformed my understanding of life. I lost one dream, but I discovered another purpose: to serve the needy, like my loved one.

Caring for my dearest loved one taught me that healing is now always about eliminating disease. Sometimes healing means reducing fear, creating a moment of peace, preserving dignity, and offering unconditional presence. Every meditation session reminds me that love, compassion, and patience are powerful forms of care. Dementia may affect memory, but it cannot erase the human need for connection and affection.

The future of dementia care should embrace an integrated approach combining modern medicine with scientifically supported practices such as meditation, mindfulness, exercise, healthy lifestyle choices, and compassionate caregiving.

Sometimes the greatest healing does not come only from medicine; it rather comes from being fully present with someone we love.