St. George’s, Grenada — A new community-based organisation, the Grenada Dementia Initiative (GDI), is challenging traditional approaches to dementia care in Grenada by offering holistic services that educate, inspire, and empower individuals living with dementia, as well as their relatives and caregivers.
Set to officially launch via a public awareness campaign on June 16, GDI has already been actively raising local awareness about the disease, promoting early detection, and encouraging improved care methods, particularly for Grenada’s elder population. Central to the organisation’s strategy is the establishment of community hubs — centres strategically located across Grenada’s parishes to reach those most in need.
“Our vision is to cater to people who have a cognitive impairment and reduce social isolation. Our aim is to break that stigma,” said Claudia Thomas, GDI’s founder and a registered nurse with specialised training in dementia and clinical teaching.
“We’re creating spaces where people feel safe, stimulated and understood. We hope to have a physical place of support in every parish in Grenada – for example, day care centres,” she added.
These physical spaces—ideally housed in churches and community centres—will offer reminiscence therapy and structured activities such as music therapy, movement sessions, and arts and crafts to support individuals at various stages of dementia. Sessions on brain health, risk factors, diet, and lifestyle will also be included.
Just as importantly, these hubs will offer respite for family caregivers, many of whom bear the emotional and physical burden of supporting loved ones with dementia. By providing reliable and compassionate daytime care, GDI aims to lighten this load, giving caregivers time to rest, work, or manage other responsibilities.
Alice Bain, who along with two caregivers has been caring for her mother – diagnosed with dementia caused by Alzheimer’s – since 2007, welcomes GDI’s launch. She highlights the lack of local support services for both patients and caregivers.
“Presently, there’s little to no support services for families suffering from dementia. There are people who care for elderly persons, but they aren’t specialised in dementia or Alzheimer’s care. Even broader, I am left completely confused without any support to determine how to obtain standard services for my mother. How do you access optical services for someone who is unable to go through the test?”
Bain notes that the current system does little to support those managing dementia care, particularly families with limited financial resources. She believes GDI’s daycare services will offer much-needed relief but stresses the importance of public education to reduce the stigma faced by caregivers who seek outside help.
“The main caregiver may be judged negatively for dropping off their loved one at a daycare centre or at a home. You’re seen like the devil because our community looks down on people who do that. They’ll say, ‘your mother worked so hard for you, and you’ve put her in a home’.”
Thankfully, GDI will also operate a national support line, staffed by trained professionals to provide caregivers, across the country, much needed access to practical help and emotional support. The support line will commence operations in sync with GDI’s official launch on June 16.
From Awareness to Action: Grenada’s Grassroots Push for Dementia Care
Before founding the Grenada Dementia Initiative (GDI), Thomas spent 12 years operating Connections Care@Home, a local agency that supported elderly individuals—many of whom were living with undiagnosed dementia. It was during this time that Thomas and her team uncovered a troubling reality: a growing number of older adults were showing signs of cognitive decline, yet few had access to proper diagnosis or care.
Determined to make a difference, Thomas returned to the UK to pursue a Master’s degree in Dementia Studies at the University of Stirling. Armed with new knowledge and a renewed sense of purpose, she came back to Grenada to launch what would become the GDI.
Though grassroots in origin, the GDI has earned the support of Grenada’s Ministry of Health and academic partners at the University of Stirling. In September, Dr. Louise McCabe, a professor specialising in dementia and ageing, will travel to Grenada to support GDI’s efforts — particularly its goal of helping shape a national dementia strategy.
For GDI, dementia is more than a medical issue — it’s a community concern that calls for education, empathy, and decisive action.
Their public awareness campaign seeks to blend scientific insight with relatable storytelling to demystify dementia and help families identify early warning signs. With parish-based outreach, healthcare worker training, and grassroots engagement, the GDI is working to transform awareness into empowerment.
