Connection Doesn’t Die when Memory Fades: What Neural Synchrony Means for Dementia Care

Sharon Daltrey
56 minutes ago
2 min read

Sometimes, when two people truly share a moment, their brains begin to “line up.” Scientists call this neural synchrony - and early research in dementia settings now shows it’s possible to measure that shared alignment during meaningful activity.

For us at Timeless Presents, this is science catching up with practice. We’ve built our range from scratch - purposefully designed for later-stage dementia -to lower the barrier to entry and create many gentle entry points to connection. No pressure, no 'correct' way to complete; just more chances for two people to meet in the moment.

What is neural synchrony (in plain English)?

When two people are engaged together- listening, watching, moving in time -their brain activity can show patterns that rise and fall together. That “lining up” is neural synchrony. Recent case-series work in dementia sessions (using hyperscanning EEG with video) shows that it’s possible to capture and study this kind of shared alignment between a person living with dementia, a care partner, and a therapist. It’s early-stage but exciting: a scientific language for something many families feel.

The inside view that matters

Writer and advocate George Rook, who lives with dementia, puts it powerfully: people may appear quiet on the outside, yet “a person does not go blank inside.” Often the right prompt-a picture, a gesture, a rhythm-wakes something that’s still there and waiting to be reached. That lived truth is the heartbeat of our design.

How we design for shared connection

We aim to make connection easier to reach—especially when words and memory are working harder than they used to. Our principles:

High contrast, recognisable imagery Clear shapes and colours that “read” at a glance.
Designed with dignity and familiarity in mind.
Shared, low-demand engagement. Built for two people together; no scoring, no rush.
Multiple gentle entry points. Look, point, touch, place, flip, discuss- lots of ways to explore.
Specifically designed for later-stage needs. Purpose-built, not repurposed toys; accredited dementia-inclusive design (DSDC).

In other words: we design to allow the time and space for those living with a dementia diagnosis to access moments of synchrony to happen.

Where the science is going (and why we’re hopeful)

Early studies tell us measurement is feasible; the next questions are about how different activities relate to shared engagement. That’s exactly the territory we work in every day - using design to bridge the gap and give people more ways to meet one another where they are.

Our stance: Connection doesn’t die when memory fades. Overlooking that possibility for people living with dementia is neither necessary, acceptable, nor inevitable—and the evidence is beginning to explain why.

References & acknowledgements

Recent case-series work measuring interpersonal behavioural and neural synchrony during dementia sessions (hyperscanning EEG with video).
Maidhof et al., single-case EEG hyperscanning in music-therapy with a person living with dementia.
With thanks to George Rook for granting permission to quote his writing.

(We do not make clinical claims. We design for presence, dignity, and shared moments.)