Spiritual Care and Ministering at End of Life to a Person With Dementia
Dementia affects more than six million Americans and accounts for 100,000 deaths every year. Researchers recently estimated a lifetime risk of dementia of 42% after age 55, more than double previous estimates (National Institutes of Health, 2025).
As I have worked in hospice care over the past 15 years, dementia is a very common diagnosis at the end of a person’s life. Spiritual care and ministering to those with dementia are both challenging and yet very meaningful. Spiritual care at the end of life is one of the most valuable types of care provided. Although a person with dementia suffers significant cognitive decline, there is hope in having sweet and meaningful ministry.
I would suggest meeting with the family and understanding the person's history, such as:
Did they come from a spiritual background?
What was their occupation?
What were their hobbies?
What type of music did they listen to in their late teens/early twenties? Do some research in that same time frame. Long-term and lasting memories are developed in those years.
In providing spiritual care, it is important to spend time getting to know the person. As you begin to minister to a person with dementia, set up regular, undistracted visits. This will help with voice recognition and trust building. Keep the pattern of your time with the individual the same. For example:
Open in a prayer
Read a scripture and show scripture in large font text
Play music
Show pictures
Long-term memory and developed motor skills can sometimes be the key to engaging a response. Routines are important with dementia, so establishing and keeping with a routine will provide the best chance of success in ministering to the individual.
I have seen beautiful moments happen when something triggers a memory... like a song. There have been many times a favorite hymn is recognized, and even though the person generally only speaks an occasional word, a song has a way of flowing from within.
I have heard the prayers of a person with dementia after someone prayed with them and, although to our ear it may be difficult to understand, the Lord knows their heart inside and out. It is such a beautiful thing to witness. The Lord's Prayer is often familiar to those with a spiritual background and can bring a sense of peace.
Sometimes, a person will begin to clap or sing with a familiar hymn due to the beautiful connection that the song has imprinted on them. In these moments, I always feel the Lord in them and the calming peace that He provides.
Aside from spiritual care for the person with dementia, the value of ministering to their families is immeasurable. I always feel that the loss for the family comes twice. First, the person with dementia no longer recognizes their loved ones. Then, with the physical act of dying, a second loss occurs. Many people with dementia are cared for by their family members, and this can be exhausting and overwhelming. These families need someone to listen to their journeys, their losses, their heartbreaks. They need an encouraging word, a gentle touch, and/or a small break. Many times, they lose their own identity while serving the needs of their family members, and caregiving can go on for years. Be present for those families because one day they will need help in finding their new normal.
Dementia is a devastating diagnosis to the person and their family. Spiritual care and ministering to these people can be very beneficial.
