Dementia: Issues and Concerns

As I have written earlier, dementia is a collective name for progressive degenerative brain syndromes which includes loss of memory, difficulty in understanding what people are saying, difficulty in performing routine tasks and some personality and mood changes. These are some of the symptoms which a person suffering from dementia experiences. In addition to this, as it progresses, socially and psychologically a person with dementia faces many problems in adjusting well with everyday task in their family and society, not only because of  the symptoms which it brings but also because of the stigma attached with it and also due to lack of information about how to deal with it..

With reference to the above context, I found a very useful article written by Dr. Mala Kapur Shankardass, who is a sociologist and a gerontologist. The article "Remembering those who have lost their memory" (http://www.asianage.com/health-fitness/remembering-those-who-have-lost-their-memory-685) highlights the critical issues related to dementia and gives suggestions as to how it can be controlled in number of ways for which special effort has to be put by the family, community and society.

While working with and for senior citizens have come across many people including youngsters who had no information about dementia and who felt that it is a part of old age. I strongly feel that it is very important first to raise awareness about dementia that it is disease and not just a part of old age. This should be done in strategic way by organizations working for senior citizens. Along with this ways of  controlling it should also be shared by experts in this field and people should be sensitized about the needs of people with dementia. As of now very few organizations are working towards this aim. More and more organizations both from voluntary and corporate sector must join hands to work towards this goal.

Lastly, I want to say that to deal with this issue well as Dr. Mala mentioned “dementia-friendly communities” are required very much in today's time because along with encouraging social involvement of people with dementia, such communities also raise awareness on the needs and well-being of care givers and reduce risk factors that may contribute towards the growing incidence of the disease. I am sure as the number of such communities will increase occurrence of dementia will be controlled and people will be able to lead a healthy and active life.

Same post has been shared on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/productiveageing