Bengaluru: Giriraju N, 75, a dementia patient, feels that painting should not be someone’s property. In the past four years, Giriraju has crafted more than 400 paintings with the help of his caregivers developing a simple engagement activity into a passion discovered very late in his life.Paintings by more than 300 senior citizens from Kites Senior Care’s Dementia Care Centre were on display Sunday at the Indiranagar club Sunday as part of the Colourful Whispers exhibition.“Painting is every individual person’s property. It helps in multiple ways… even by holding brush, concentration power increases. When I get the outline, I feel very excited to fill colours in them. Everyone likes colours,” he said.He added his journey as an artist began after a similar exhibition conducted in Sept 2025. “Painting is a long process. It takes at least 5-7 days, day and night. I enjoy painting nature and pictures of gods,” Giriraju said.Through colourful representations of flowers, trees, fruits, landscapes and even painted bottles, the works triggered audiences to move the conversation from simply knowing about dementia to understanding what it can mean for the person, the family and the wider care ecosystem.Dr Reema Nadig, a geriatric specialist stated art is one of the major non-pharmaceutical interventions carried out for elders with dementia. “The cognitive retraining that happens through art, makes us able to diagnose their moods and to pinpoint their focus. Like art, they engage in many daily activities,” she said.Nadig believes exhibiting artworks by elders with dementia raises social awareness, encourages early diagnosis and helps people identify signs. Many participants were former CEOs, bankers and professors, she said.According to Priyadarshini G, senior nurse manager at Kites senior care, even those who take care of elders with dementia require more attention to detail and patience. “They need a lot of care and support… like we see, the paintings are not completed in one sitting; it’s a long process, maybe 10-15 days long,” she said.She added those providing care to elders with dementia need greater awareness and regular training. “They require utmost patience and should be experienced to handle several scenarios and emotions especially when the elders get restless.”
