Dementia is a major issue of dependence and disability in old age. Among the various Indian states, Kerala has the highest proportion of elderly people in the country. The worst part is that there is poor awareness of dementia in our society. A concrete effort is to be made to educate people about dementia and enhance the quality of life of these patients. Professionals have to be trained and made aware of the problems associated with dementia. Relying on the existing infrastructure, dementia-friendly centres have to be developed. Such attempts will lead to the emergence of the best elderly home for dementia in Kerala.
Dementia and its impact?
Dementia is a devastating condition where the mental balance of an individual goes for a toss, rendering him useless. He or she is dependent upon others for basic activities in life. The worst part is that the relatives do not recognise the same person whom they knew before, with marked changes in personality brought about by the disease. The disease causes considerable strain on the physical and mental health of the patients, their partners, siblings, and their relatives.
Is there any hope of revival?
Presently, there is a dearth of curative treatments and it can be a reason for recognising and recognising laxity in interventions or treatments. A considerable effort is necessary to reduce the impact of the disease on patients through early interventions like improved awareness and medical, psychological, and behavioural therapies, to name only a few examples. Medication may be useful, especially in the early and middle stages of the condition. Medications are also beneficial in treating the behavioural and psychological symptoms that are common in dementia patients. 8. Psychosocial therapies aimed at educating carers on how to manage behavioural issues related to dementia have also been demonstrated to be useful.
The strategies for a dementia-friendly Kerala
- An awareness of dementia is to be developed among the general public.
- Dementia management education and training for health care workers
- Creating dementia diagnostic and management services that place an emphasis on both medical and psychosocial care
- Creating a pool of dementia friends and community workers to provide care and assistance when needed
- Developing a dementia strategy and dementia care policy at the state level, with an emphasis on topics such as law and financial aid.
- Risk reduction techniques are being used at the level of public health care.
- All parties, including government and non-governmental organisations, the voluntary sector, and business partnerships, must work together closely.
Developing dementia-friendly communities
Following the principles of the best memory care unit in Kerala, there is a need to develop a dementia-friendly community. It has to be a professional organisation based on experience in working for the benefit of the people.
1. Awareness
Lack of awareness is one of the major problems plaguing dementia. The public needs to be aware that the symptoms of dementia are not part of the normal ageing process but indicate signs of seeking medical help. A lack of understanding leads to negative attitudes and social stigmas, resulting in families not seeking medical help or assistance.
There has to be a breed of professionals who are well versed in the problems confronting dementia patients. Even health care workers need to have proper education on when to suspect dementia as all of us are likely to come across someone suffering from dementia in our lives.
2. Services
An attempt is to be made to improve the services for people suffering from dementia. To build a service stream for people with dementia, the health, social welfare, and social justice sectors should work together. We’ve learnt from other countries’ experiences that broad inter-sectorial collaboration is required to properly manage dementia care issues.
From the onset of symptoms until the latter stages of the illness, the family might be said to be on a dementia journey alongside the patient. Support should be accessible at all stages of the dementia journey, beginning with the early signs of the disease, such as memory lapses and mood and personality changes.
Dementia is a progressive form of illness in which the condition of an individual continues to deteriorate over a period of time. Hence, it is necessary that we discuss this important issue.