The Society for Alzheimers and Ageing Research (SAAR) is working on guidelines for Dementia, one of the most dreaded diseases among the elderly in India. The guidelines, to be issued on February 24, will be the first set of instructions for the illness in the country. A questionnaire has also been sent to neurologists across the country to share details on the kind of patients they see in their memory-clinics.
The country has over 1.5 crores dementia patients and 5-6,00,000 in the Capital only, and with the current rate of technology use, this number is expected to go up in the near future.
Currently, the number of elderly in the country is ten crores and by 2025 this number will rise to 25 crores, which is equal to the entire European population. In a survey conducted in 2007, the elderly called it the most dreaded disease, even rating it higher than cancer.
“People are scared of losing their identity. From initially forgetting a pen or keys, they eventually forget everything; from family members to their own identity,” says Dr Vikas Dhikav, Department of Neurology, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and general secretary of SAAR.”The idea to come up with these guidelines is to streamline and simplify the management of dementia in the country,” he adds.
The society has shared a set of 20 questions with approximately 4,000 neurologists in the country. These questions range from the type and age-group of patients to what medicines these doctors prescribe to the patients and their side-effects later on. The questionnaire also has queries about the Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) age-group, the initial slight but noticeable and measurable decline in cognitive abilities, including memory and thinking skills.
Based on the responses that the SAAR is receiving on the behavioral disturbances observed by the doctors, the panel is making an analysed set of guidelines which will be the first in the country. A booklet containing these guidelines will be released at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on February 24.