Dementia care for a parent in India: options for families abroad

After a diagnosis: care at home, day care, memory-care homes, the legal and money questions, and how to support the parent who is the carer.

By the Athnova Care team · Updated 2026-09-29

This guide is general information to help families organise care. It is not medical advice — follow your parent's doctor.

After the diagnosis

A diagnosis is the beginning of planning. Dementia changes slowly, which gives families time to arrange money, paperwork and care while the person can still take part in the decisions. Use that time.

Care options

Option	Suits	Points to check
At home with family and a trained attendant	Early and middle stages	Training in dementia care; a routine; safety in the house
Day-care centre	A parent living with a spouse or family	Transport; activities; gives the carer a break
Memory-care home	Wandering, night-time restlessness, a carer who cannot cope	Staff training and ratio; security; visiting
Care manager service	Coordination when no family is nearby	Who visits, how often, what they report

Paperwork while they can still sign

Bank accounts: a joint holder or mandate, and nominees.
A will.
A list of policies, deposits, property papers and passwords.
Speak to a lawyer about a power of attorney and what it can and cannot cover.

Safety at home

Gas, locks, medicines and sharp objects.
An ID card or bracelet with a phone number.
Neighbours and the watchman told, so that they guide your parent home.

The other parent

When one parent has dementia, the other is the carer — often in their seventies, with their own medicines to take. Their health is the thing most likely to break. Arrange help for them, and check on them separately.

Support

The Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India has chapters in many cities and runs helplines, day-care centres and carer groups. The Elder Line (14567) can point to local services.

A day that works

People with dementia do better with the same things at the same times: waking, bathing, meals, a walk, a rest, music. Write the routine down so that every helper follows the same one. Changes of helper are easier when the day itself does not change.

Choosing and training a helper

Ask the agency for someone who has cared for a person with dementia.
Explain what calms your parent and what upsets them.
Arguing and correcting do not help; going along and gently changing the subject usually does.
Ask for a short daily note: meals, sleep, mood, anything unusual.

Money matters to settle early

Who pays the regular bills, and from which account.
Limits on cards and UPI.
A joint holder or mandate on the main account.
Where the documents are kept.

A lawyer can advise on what can be arranged while your parent is still able to sign, and what requires a court later.

What a daily check-in can and cannot do

In the early stage it supports the medicine routine and shows changes in the pattern of replies. Later, the check-in is better directed to the parent who is the carer. It is not a substitute for supervision.

Questions families ask

Can a person with dementia live alone?

In the early stage, sometimes, with support. As it progresses most people need someone with them. Ask the treating doctor.

Are there memory-care homes in India?

Yes, in several large cities. Standards vary, so visit and ask about staff training.

How do I find a dementia day-care centre in India?

Ask the treating doctor, contact the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India, or call the Elder Line on 14567.

Athnova Care tracks and coordinates care. It does not diagnose, prescribe or replace a doctor. In a medical emergency in India call 112.