Second was the release of a book "Handling Alzheimer's with courage" by Wing Cmdr Sabharwal, a caregiver for his wife. After returning from Bangalore I read the book and found it very well written. There is very little literature available that talks about the dementia journey in the Indian context, and this book fills that need very well indeed. A Hindi version of the book was released in Hyderabad by the Governor of Telangana on the of 21st September. Hopefully there will also be a Gujarati version available soon. Keep watching this space!!
This year I attended the International Dementia Symposium at Bangalore on the 14th to 16th of September. I have have been a participant at this yearly event held by ARDSI (Alzheimer's and related Diseases Society of India) for the last few years, but missed last year because of another conference. This year amongst various interesting and innovative things, there were two that were really noteworthy. First the presentation by Swapna Kishore and Sowmya Hegde, which highlighted the caregiver experiences of dementia diagnosis.
Second was the release of a book "Handling Alzheimer's with courage" by Wing Cmdr Sabharwal, a caregiver for his wife. After returning from Bangalore I read the book and found it very well written. There is very little literature available that talks about the dementia journey in the Indian context, and this book fills that need very well indeed. A Hindi version of the book was released in Hyderabad by the Governor of Telangana on the of 21st September. Hopefully there will also be a Gujarati version available soon. Keep watching this space!!
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As you reach 65 years of age there may be a 10% chance of developing dementia during your remaining lifetime. If it is possible to diagnose dementia in the early stages when patients may still have the capacity to understand the disease and to make important decisions about their future care, plan for eventualities and manage interventions.
The knowledge that one may lose their normal 'selves' and become dependent also brings painful emotions and even depression or anger. Diagnosis may lead to denial of the problem or even relief at having identified the reason for symptoms. Sometimes families and individuals try to hide the fact as it may be perceived as embarrasing or there may be some stigma attached to it. However it is better to be prepared. Legal, financial, domestic and family issues need to be resolved. An article from Johns Hopkins, Facing Dementia discusses some typical behaviours and reaction. Awareness is the first step to better management. |
Donate Now!AuthorDaksha Bhat is interested in the management of ageing. As our society ages we need to create structures that will support the needs of the ageing population. We need to talk about the issues, understand them, and create the social environment that will lead to better services for the elderly. This website is a small attempt to be part of a bigger solution. Archives
March 2021
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