Does Television Work the Same Way for Everyone?

When developing Menta, the question we started with was simple: What should the television experience look like for people living with dementia? Because standard broadcasting, with its fast edits, sudden sound changes and complex storylines, may feel ordinary to a healthy viewer, but for someone with cognitive sensitivity it can become exhausting or confusing.

This issue is not new. However, recently, after the global trend platform TrendWatching analyzed us under its “Ambient Wellness” category, we have seen the subject begin to be addressed from a broader perspective. One striking observation in the article states: “Watching television isn’t simple for people living with dementia. Rapid scene transitions, jarring sound effects and unpredictable narratives can cause confusion. This is a challenge that broadcasters and streaming giants have largely overlooked.”

Television as a Design Problem

Our starting point was this: if the cognitive needs of the audience are different, then the language of broadcasting should be different as well. For this reason, the content on Menta follows a simpler flow. Instead of abrupt transitions, loud surprises or complex storytelling, it maintains a more balanced pace. Our content library, which now exceeds 2,000 minutes, has been developed in collaboration with neurologists, psychologists and dementia care specialists, and is available in five languages.

In its analysis, TrendWatching emphasizes that Menta “is not competing with Netflix or YouTube.” And that is true. We did not design the platform as an entertainment service, but rather as a structured care tool. The central question becomes this: to what extent are digital products truly customized for specific need groups?

For a long time, television was designed for the “average viewer.” Yet aging populations and rising dementia cases reveal the existence of a large group that falls outside this average. In the TrendWatching article, this is described as follows: “As healthcare systems strain under aging populations, care responsibilities are moving into the home. Televisions, tablets, lighting and sound are quietly turning into care tools.”

Part of a Broader Shift

What is interesting is that this approach is not unique to dementia. TrendWatching positions Menta as part of a cultural movement that is moving away from hyper stimulation. There is a growing shift away from endless scrolling, autoplay and constant content streams, toward products built around calm. The phrase “There is a growing market for products that soothe rather than intensify experiences” may point to a broader moment in which digital consumption habits are being reconsidered.

Television is not only an entertainment device but also a tool for shaping atmosphere. If that atmosphere is too fast, too complex or too loud for the person in the room, the experience does not serve its purpose. With the support of the Turkish Alzheimer Association and under the guidance of our clinical advisory board, we approached the development of our platform less as a conventional product process and more as an interdisciplinary research effort.

Our expert library for caregivers does more than simply offer content. It provides practical guidance on behavioral changes, sleep disturbances and daily care challenges. Because when designing Menta, we placed the daily life needs of both people living with dementia and their caregivers at the center.

Ultimately, what matters to us is not so much the visibility of a product, but the beginning of a conversation around a new approach. The limitations of the “one size fits all” mindset deserve greater discussion, and the needs of certain groups should not be seen as niche markets but as fundamental design considerations. TrendWatching’s attention to this issue is valuable in that it signals the expansion of this conversation. As the Menta team, we would like to thank the TrendWatching team and Liesbeth den Toom for their insights.