How Daily Phone Calls Help People Living with Dementia
Routine, familiarity, and social connection aren't just nice to have for someone with dementia — they're therapeutic. Here's what the evidence says, and how daily calls can be adapted for cognitive decline.
Important note: This page provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional for individual dementia care decisions. If you need support, call the Dementia Australia helpline on 1800 100 500.
What the Research Shows
Daily social interaction slows cognitive decline
A Konnekt Pty Ltd study found that daily face-to-face video calls improved cognitive function in dementia patients after just 6 weeks. The mechanism is simple: conversation requires recall, attention, language processing, and social awareness — exercising multiple cognitive pathways simultaneously.
Source: Konnekt Research, 2023; corroborated by Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, 2020
Routine reduces anxiety and agitation
One of the most distressing symptoms of dementia is sundowning — increased confusion and anxiety in the late afternoon. Predictable daily routines, including regular calls at the same time, provide anchoring that reduces sundowning episodes. The brain may struggle with new information but retains procedural patterns.
Phone conversations may detect early decline
Research from the University of Sydney found that subtle changes in phone conversation patterns — increased word-finding pauses, repetition of stories within a single call, confusion about recent events — can indicate cognitive changes months before they're detected in clinical settings. Daily calls create a baseline against which changes become visible.
Daily Calls by Stage of Dementia
The benefit and approach differs by stage. Here's what to expect.
Mild Cognitive Impairment / Early Stage
Your loved one is largely independent but showing some forgetfulness, word-finding difficulties, or occasional confusion with dates.
How calls help
- • Cognitive stimulation through conversation
- • Medication reminders at the right time
- • Subtle monitoring of speech patterns
- • Maintaining social confidence
What family gains
- • Baseline against which to measure change
- • Daily reassurance without being intrusive
- • Early warning of progression
- • Medication compliance tracking
Moderate Stage
More significant memory loss, difficulty with daily tasks, possible wandering, personality changes.
How calls help
- • Anchoring through routine and familiarity
- • Simpler questions, patient repetition
- • Emotional comfort from a consistent voice
- • Detection of increased confusion or distress
Adaptations needed
- • Slower speech, simpler sentences
- • Fewer topics per call
- • More patience with repetition
- • Avoid correcting — redirect gently
Advanced Stage
Severe memory loss, limited communication, may not recognise family members, high dependency.
At this stage, phone calls are generally not the right tool. The person may not be able to hold a phone or understand a conversation. Focus shifts to in-person care, music therapy, and gentle sensory stimulation. If your loved one has reached this stage, contact Dementia Australia (1800 100 500) for specialist support.
How Kindly Call Adapts for Cognitive Decline
Slower Speech
Our AI speaks at 85% of normal speed and pauses between sentences, giving extra processing time without being patronising.
Patient with Repetition
If they tell the same story three times in one call, the AI responds with genuine interest each time. It never says “you already told me that.”
Simpler Questions
Instead of “What did you do today?” (too broad), the AI asks “Did you have a nice cup of tea this morning?” (specific, easy to answer).
Change Detection
The AI tracks patterns: increased confusion, new topics of distress, word-finding deterioration, shorter conversations. These trends appear in the family dashboard as early warning signals.
Works Alongside Existing Dementia Services
Daily companion calls don't replace professional dementia care — they complement it.
| Service | What It Provides | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Dementia Australia | National helpline, counselling, education | 1800 100 500 |
| CDAMS Clinics | Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service — diagnosis and management | GP referral |
| Konnekt Videophone | One-touch video phone designed for dementia (no buttons to remember) | konnekt.com.au |
| Carer Gateway | Support and respite for family carers | 1800 422 737 |
| Kindly Call | Daily adaptive companion calls, family health dashboard, alerts | kindlycall.au |
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