Chennai:
The government hospital in Chennai is getting nearly 100 outpatients a day and among those two are being screened for dementia, said Dr K Bhanu, neurologist and professor of neurology, Madras Medical college.
Speaking during a function to mark the World Alzhiemer’s Day here on Saturday, dr Bhanu said that there is a rise in dementia cases as India’s population is ageing. She says that there is lack of awareness among families as they don’t know the symptoms or whom to contact for help or advice.
She says the disease affects as many as 50 per cent of people over the age of 80 and five to eight per cent of all people over 65. “The number doubles every five years beyond that age,” she says. She also said that lifestyle changes are also one of the cause for the disease.
She says Alzhiemer causes 50 to 70 per cent of all dementia. It begins with forgetfulness and then confusion and eventually not able to identify time, place and person. “Problems with judgement, decision making also occurs in addition to personality changes such as irritability, agitation, sadness (depression) or elation and inappropriate behaviors.
“We should identify the symptoms early especially if an old person begins to have forgetfulness, progresses to disorientation and confusion, personality changes, depression or manic behaviours,” she says.
There isn’t a cure for dementia but if diagnosed it can be treated and those affected can lead a better quality of life, she said. She also suggested the need for old people to remain busy with lives and not live in isolation. “they should practise Yoga or any other creative thing to keep the brain busy,” she said.
The Madras Medical College dean V Kanagasabai said that the country has 640 lakh senior citizens and many of them suffer from dementia. He predicted that by 2030 a total of 900 lakh people will suffer from dementia
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