Once treated as background noise, television is being reimagined as a tool for dementia care. My Life TV explains how the right content, used well, can calm, connect and celebrate the person behind the diagnosis.
Television in care settings was once treated as passive background entertainment, something to fill an afternoon rather than a tool with therapeutic value. As understanding of dementia has deepened, so has recognition of what carefully chosen media can offer: support for emotional wellbeing, connection and a stronger sense of self.
The relevant question is no longer whether people living with dementia should watch television, but what they are watching and whether it leaves them calmer and more connected. My Life TV, a charity offering dementia-friendly content, positions television not as a substitute for meaningful activity or human interaction, but as a support for both.
Mainstream television can be overwhelming through fast-paced editing, complicated storylines, or intrusive advertising. Dementia-friendly media takes the opposite approach, focusing on accessibility, familiarity, and emotional comfort. Nature films, familiar music, reminiscence programmes, quizzes, gentle movement and slow-paced footage each offer a different route into engagement, depending on a resident’s mood and cognitive ability.
There is no single formula that works for everyone. One resident might find comfort in watching wildlife, another might respond to music from their youth, while a third might enjoy travel programmes that spark memories and conversation. Preferences vary from person to person and change over time, so personalising content allows care teams to tailor engagement meaningfully.
Supporting emotional wellbeing
Evidence gathered by My Life TV points to measurable benefits. NHS-led evaluation, alongside independent work with care homes, has identified improvements in quality of life, social interaction, agitation and the overall atmosphere within participating settings, prompting some homes to incorporate My Life TV into personalised care plans as a non-pharmacological intervention.
Alongside this formal evidence, the charity regularly receives feedback from care professionals describing residents who become calmer, smile more, reminisce with others or reconnect with aspects of their identity through familiar places, music and shared memories.
Naomi Daglish, My Life TV Advisory Panel member and Lead Happieness & Wellbeing Ambassador at Advinia Healthcare, explains: “If used effectively, television can help reduce anxiety, promote orientation, improve social interactions and strengthen relationships between residents, colleagues and families.”
Her point speaks to a wider truth about wellbeing: it is not always about increasing stimulation. In a communal lounge, sensory overload can be a genuine problem for people living with dementia, and sometimes the most useful intervention is a calmer one: gentle visual content or familiar music that can sit alongside other activity without competing for residents’ attention.
Creating connection, not replacing it
One question most frequently asked of My Life TV is whether screen-based tools risk replacing human interaction. The charity’s view is the opposite: the issue is not whether people should spend time with people or with screens, but whether screen-based experiences are designed and used in ways that strengthen relationships.
A film about seaside holidays might prompt residents to share childhood memories. A wildlife programme may encourage quiet conversation, and familiar songs can lead to spontaneous singing, movement and laughter. In each case, the screen becomes a starting point for connection rather than the destination.
This can also help families, for whom visiting a loved one with dementia can feel difficult as conversation becomes harder. Shared viewing creates common ground, easing the pressure to talk and allowing people simply to enjoy being together.
Kerry Monaghan, Activities Coordinator at Rowan Lodge, part of Forest Care, explains: “I’m not a great believer in just watching the telly. I like there to be interaction. We pause, ask questions and engage everybody. We try to make it much more than just watching the telly; it’s about interacting, reminiscing and learning about residents at the same time.”
Her approach reflects a shift in thinking: television becomes a starting point rather than an activity in its own right. A programme about Wimbledon becomes a conversation about sport and shared memories; coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show prompts residents to talk about their own gardens, with flowers brought in to stimulate the senses. Television provides the spark; the value lies in what follows.
Building the evidence base
While there is a substantial evidence base for music, reminiscence, and other non-pharmacological approaches in dementia care, the specific contribution of dementia-friendly television is far less well understood. Addressing that gap is now a priority for My Life TV, which, with support from Dementia Research UK, is commissioning research into how dementia-friendly media contributes to emotional wellbeing, meaningful activity and person-centred care in everyday practice.
Rather than simply asking whether My Life TV “works”, researchers want to understand which types of content are most effective for different people, how care teams use them in practice, and what difference they make to residents, staff and families over time, giving the sector robust, practical evidence for using screen-based media in high-quality dementia care.
Celebrating the person behind the diagnosis
Wellbeing, ultimately, is about more than occupying time; it is about helping people feel recognised, valued and connected. That philosophy extends into the charity’s wider work. In November 2025, My Life Films visited Cloisters Care Home in Hounslow to film the first episodes of its Sharing Stories series, giving residents the chance to share their lives, passions and achievements on camera and creating lasting memories for residents, families and care teams alike.
Bubs, Activities Coordinator at Cloisters Care Home, reflected on the experience: “It was wonderful to see the residents speak so proudly about all their achievements and hobbies. Residents are still speaking about this experience today! Fabulous activity!”
For My Life TV, that reaction captures what wellbeing looks like in practice: not reduced anxiety or filled time, but moments of pride, identity and joy. Designed with people living with dementia in mind, television and film can become far more than something to watch, another way to celebrate the person behind the diagnosis and strengthen relationships in everyday care.
