Dementia can be terrifying for the person affected, their family and friends. Good health and social care support makes a huge difference. But, for many people, the help given by friends in their parish, and by their priest, is of more significance in determining how they make their way through this difficult time. Help from a priest and fellow parishioners is especially important as the majority of people with dementia live at home. They are usually older people, and family carers are often women, though an increasing number of men are also involved directly.The word “dementia” is used to label the symptoms that occur when a person’s brain stops working as well as it used to. Because the change is progressive the person may eventually be unable to care for themselves. O