Experts Warn Against Leaving Elderly Dementia Patients Without Emotional Care

(Elderly Nigerians. Photo by Guardian Nigeria News)

Healthcare professionals and caregivers have emphasised that elderly individuals living with dementia require emotional support in addition to financial assistance to maintain wellbeing and extend lifespan.

The remarks were made in Lagos during the annual Gabi Williams Memorial Symposium convened by the Gabi Williams Foundation.

Participants highlighted that abandoning elderly relatives or providing exclusively financial support without emotional engagement risks intensifying their vulnerability.

Concern was raised regarding increasing numbers of Nigerians relocating abroad, frequently leaving ageing parents and relatives behind without sufficient care and human connection.

The foundation’s administrator underscored that the symposium was organised to examine the emotional consequences of migration, colloquially termed “Japa,” on older adults with dementia.

She stressed the necessity of sustaining affection, physical presence and substantive engagement with elderly relatives despite migration-related pressures.

In a presentation addressing emotional dimensions of dementia care, the widow of a prominent physician emphasised that elderly individuals with dementia require affection and care at least equivalent to material provision.

A guest lecturer examined the emotional aspects of migration and their impact on elderly populations, discussing methods to prevent neglect in dementia care.

A psychiatrist delivered remarks on non-clinical dimensions of care, emphasising emotional connection and presence.

Additional speakers addressed the inadequacy of remote communication in elderly care and explored strategies to mitigate emotional distress caused by migration.