Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation Celebrates 25 Years with Special Choral Concert
By: Thasmina Sookoor
The Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a special fundraising choral concert titled, One Heart, One Voice, bringing together music, community and compassion in support of dementia care in Sri Lanka. The concert will take place on the 22nd of March 2026 at 7.00 pm at the Lionel Wendt Theatre and will feature a selection of beloved songs from popular musicals performed by the Soul Sounds Academy Community Choir. The evening will also include special guest appearances by Soul Sounds, widely regarded as Sri Lanka’s premier female vocal ensemble.
Directed by Soundarie David-Rodrigo, founder of Soul Sounds, with artistic direction by Jerome L. De Silva, the concert promises an uplifting evening of music performed by voices spanning several generations. The event brings together singers and audiences in a celebration of compassion, dignity and community, values that lie at the heart of the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation’s work.
Founded in 2001, the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation has spent the past quarter century at the forefront of dementia care and advocacy in Sri Lanka. The organization remains the country’s only community based, nonprofit body dedicated solely to supporting individuals living with dementia and the families who care for them. Over the years, the Foundation has built a reputation as a vital source of guidance and support for families navigating the challenges of dementia. Its services are provided free of charge and include an Activity Centre designed specifically for persons living with dementia, caregiver training and support programmes, memory screening clinics and public education initiatives aimed at increasing awareness of the condition.
The Foundation also provides emotional support for families who often find themselves facing the illness with little preparation or understanding. Through its programmes, the organization has helped countless individuals access practical advice, compassionate care and a sense of hope during what can be a deeply challenging journey. The choice of music as the centerpiece of the anniversary celebration reflects a deeper connection to the Foundation’s mission. Music therapy has increasingly been recognized as a powerful nonpharmacological approach in dementia care, offering benefits that extend beyond entertainment.
For many people living with dementia, music has the ability to reach parts of memory and emotion that remain intact even as other cognitive abilities decline. Familiar melodies can evoke memories from earlier years, soothe anxiety and create moments of joy and connection that might otherwise be difficult to achieve. In care settings around the world, music has been used to stimulate memory, encourage social interaction and reduce agitation among individuals living with dementia. It can also help caregivers build meaningful connections with loved ones, offering moments of shared recognition and comfort even when verbal communication becomes difficult.
The concert’s theme, One Heart, One Voice, reflects this idea of unity and shared humanity. By bringing together singers and audiences in a collective musical experience, the event highlights the importance of community support for those affected by dementia. Through the voices of the choir and the power of music, the evening aims to celebrate the resilience of families living with dementia while raising awareness of the condition and the importance of compassionate care. Funds raised through the concert will go towards sustaining and expanding the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation’s essential services. As the number of people living with dementia continues to rise globally, the demand for support, education and specialized care is also increasing. Organizations such as the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation play a crucial role in ensuring that individuals living with dementia are treated with dignity and respect while families receive the guidance and assistance they need. By supporting the Foundation’s work, the concert also highlights the importance of collective responsibility in caring for some of society’s most vulnerable members.
- Tickets for One Heart, One Voice are available at the Lionel Wendt Theatre.
As the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation marks 25 years of service, the concert promises to be both a celebration and a reminder. It celebrates the dedication of those who have worked tirelessly to support dementia care in Sri Lanka and reminds audiences that when voices unite for a common cause, they have the power to bring comfort, raise awareness and make a lasting difference.
