CAREful about Language

Dementia is a growing problem in the world. It is seen as one of the biggest challenges for healthcare (Livingston et al., 2017). Dementia can cause memory problems, changes in behavior, and it can make people less able to take care of themselves. It also leads to high healthcare costs.

In countries like the Netherlands, dementia is common among older people with a migration background. The healthcare system is not yet well prepared for this (Van den Broeke et al., 2021).

Good communication is very important for diagnosing and treating dementia. Many studies say that language can be a challenge in caring for migrants with dementia. However, we still do not know much about how challenges in language lead to health inequalities. We also know little about how using a person’s own language can help support their mental health and thinking abilities when they have dementia.

In September 2025, the CAREful about Language project started. The project is part of the Bilingualism and Aging research group (www.balab.nl) led by Merel Keijzer. The project wants to improve dementia care for migrants living with dementia and for their caregivers. We do this by studying their language needs, because language is very important in person-centered dementia care. By putting language at the center of care, the CAREful project aims to help build better, fairer, and more inclusive dementia care for everyone.