Chennai: India has 41 lakh people with dementia, a condition that affects the brain, damages its function, including memory, and causes the inability to carry out familiar activities.
In Chennai, around 30,000 people lived together but there was no center specifically designed for people with dementia.
That is why Schizophrenia Research Foundation (Scarf) India has set facilities that will meet their needs exclusively.
Sri T S Sanhanam Center for the Elderly Care and Sundram Fasteners Center for Dementia Research in Selaiyur will be inaugurated on the World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21, by the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, MA Subramanian.
“With better health services and more awareness about health related problems, life expectancy in India has increased to 70.8 years.
At the same time the chances of disorders relating to age, such as dementia also increased,” said Psychiatric Drara Srinivasan from a scarf .
But the city does not have the centers that are exclusively directed towards the needs of these patients and their caregivers, said Dr.
Sridhar Vaitheswaran, Assistant Director and Psychiatrist Consultants, Dementia Care in Scarves – Demcares.
Scarf’s Center aims to fill the vacuum.
It will offer assessments, diagnosis, and treatment for dementia; Personalized care plans for each individual, education and support for family members, structured cognitive involvement, and other psychological interventions to improve cognition and manage changes in behavior, nurses, activity halls; nutritious diet; and supervised activities.
“With the input from the Development Development Center at Sterling University, England, we have found a dementia friendly design so people can carry out their functions as independently,” said Dr.
Sridhar.
“For example, the toilet door is a different color with clearly labeled signs.
At night, when the light fades, people with dementia can be restless, so we have provided enough lighting in all fields.
Floors, walls, and curtains Simple, without a pattern of confusing.
“Inpatient facilities can accommodate around 20 people.
“We hope to keep patients with us for a while, and correct the problems they face so that care can be resumed at home,” said Dr.
Sridhar.
“We have an activity area where patients will be offered cognitive stimulation therapy, using language, memory, and word associations.” The new center of Scarf also plans to train and educate caregivers and start offering nursing assistance at home.
Dementia Care in Scarf (Demcares) has run a support group for caregivers.
“My 88-year-old mother was diagnosed with dementia three years ago even though she experienced a forget since she was 78 years old,” said Syamala Babu, added that caregivers face many challenges.
“Many of them don’t sleep at night, don’t remember if they have eaten or showered, and live in the past, so you have to learn how to take care of them.
There is no cure for this condition.
Also, everyone with unique dementia so share experiences You with another caregiver that really helps.
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