Dementia must be recognised as a major public health concern

In the award-winning Malayalam movie, Thanmaathra , actor Mohanlal plays the role of Rameshan Nair, a government employee. One day, Nair misplaces a crucial office document. Where is it? In the refrigerator at home! Another day, while riding a scooter to work, he forgets his way to office. That’s not all. One morning, he arrives in his office with a bag of vegetables, undresses and behaves as if he is back home from work.

Soon, Rameshan Nair is diagnosed with the Alzheimer’s Disease, a neurological disorder that triggers memory loss, progressive decline of cognitive skills and language ability. It is one of the most common forms of dementia, which usually attacks people aged 65 and above, though an early onset is not rare. “There are four million people afflicted with dementia in India,” says Dr Jacob Roy, Chairman of the London-based Alzheimer’s Disease International. “Hardly 10 per cent are diagnosed.” Roy, a paediatrician based at Kunnamkulam in Kerala’s Thrissur district, founded the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ADRSI) in 1992.

Reel life The ‘dementia population’ in India is all set to double by 2030. Globally, Roy notes, every four seconds, one person becomes a victim of dementia.

But, even in the US, only 40 per cent are diagnosed. In India, lack of awareness is hindering diagnosis and proper care.

In Kerala, following the runaway success of Thanmaathra , there was a flood of people wanting to know if they had dementia. “Doctor, I keep forgetting things; am I suffering from that Thanmaathra disease?” was a common question many doctors were asked. Most of these were baseless, but scores of people were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia in the wake of the movie.

Characteristics The Dementia India Report defines dementia as “a syndrome usually chronic, characterised by a progressive, global deterioration in intellect, including memory, learning, orientation, language, comprehension and judgment due to disease of the brain.”

Memory loss (particularly of recent events), depression, mood fluctuations, misplaced sexual behaviour, anxiety and inability to communicate are common in most forms of dementia. In the later stages, memory loss is high, with the patient failing to recognise family members, friends, objects and places. “Since India has a huge population, it’s time the Government recognised dementia as a major public health concern,” says Roy. The cost of caring (including lost income) is estimated at ₹14,700 crore a year. Globally, the cost is $600 billion.

Kerala to be India’s first dementia-friendly State

Kerala will soon be declared the first ‘dementia-friendly State’ in the country. This initiative by the Kerala Government and ARDSI, will be launched on September 26 in Kochi. “This will be the first such initiative in South Asia,” Dr Jacob Roy says. A dementia-friendly State would mean a State where people with dementia can live with dignity in a supportive community environment; have access to diagnosis, information and treatment; and, be able to reduce their discomfort and disabilities. The government is also planning to set up specialty clinics, 24-hour helplines and day-care centres.

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