Each month we meet key stakeholders and business leaders in the social care sector. This month we meet Devika Wood, Chief Executive of Brain+, which creates digital CST tools to support people with dementia and slow cognitive decline.
What first inspired your passion for dementia care?
My passion for dementia care began with my Nani. She looked after me throughout my childhood while my parents worked long hours, and in many ways she was more like a mother than a grandmother. I adored her, and so much of who I am today comes from her guidance and love.
When I was ten, everything changed. Nani suffered a stroke, and not long after we began noticing the early signs of dementia. Within a year she was diagnosed with vascular dementia, and the course of our lives shifted. It was incredibly hard to watch. This was a woman who had lived through so much. She had survived two wars, escaped the India–Pakistan partition, built a life in Zanzibar, and later fled to England as a refugee. She had been the strongest person I knew, and to see her gradually lose her independence and parts of her identity was heartbreaking.
From your experience, what challenges do families often face with dementia care?
When we sought support, we turned to social care funding. What we received often felt inadequate. Carers would arrive for rushed 15-minute visits, with little time to do more than the basics, and often without even speaking to Nani directly. It was painful to see her treated in such a transactional way, as though her personhood had been overlooked.
Families across the UK and beyond face the same challenges. Dementia is now the leading cause of death for women here, and one of the leading causes worldwide. Its impact is not only medical but deeply emotional, affecting entire families. We discovered that the most meaningful care came from personal interactions. Bollywood music, conversations about her childhood in India, and the smells and stories of cooking brought Nani back to us, if only briefly. Those moments taught me that dementia care must go beyond the clinical. It is about identity, memory, and respect.
Her passing left a deep mark. It gave me the determination to change how people access care, so that families like mine can experience connection rather than frustration.
How has this personal experience shaped your work in the sector?
At 26, I co-founded a domiciliary care agency designed to fix some of the problems we had faced. We developed a matching system that paired carers and clients based on skills, language, and cultural understanding. For families like mine, this was transformative. To be cared for by someone who spoke the same language or understood cultural traditions made a world of difference. It helped preserve dignity and created real connection.
That same philosophy drives my work today at Brain+. Our focus is Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, recommended by NICE and supported by strong evidence. CST formalises the kinds of activities I instinctively used with my Nani, such as conversation, cooking and music, and builds them into structured sessions. The results are powerful. Research shows CST can delay cognitive decline by four to six months. That means more time, more quality of life, and more space for families to experience meaningful moments together.
What motivates you to continue innovating in dementia care?
For me, this has never been just work. It is personal. My Nani’s story guides me every day. I believe everyone deserves dignity, respect and joy as they age. Dementia may take memories, but it should never take away humanity.
That belief drives me to push for better services and greater compassion. My journey began at home with my grandmother, and my mission now is to ensure every family touched by dementia can find connection, hope and dignity in the care they receive.
Image depicts Devika Wood, Chief Executive of Brain+