Dementia care in developing countries: The road ahead Shaji KS - Indian J Psychiatry
Shaji KS. Dementia care in developing countries: The road ahead. Indian J Psychiatry [serial online] 2009 [cited 2011 May 9];51:5-7.
Available from: http://www.indianjpsychiatry.org/text.asp?2009/51/5/5/44853
Demographic aging is a global phenomenon with differential impact on world regions. It began early in developed countries and progressed over longer period of time. They had more time to develop services. Regions like Asia, Latin America and Africa are now witnessing rapid demographic aging. The developing countries in this region will have comparatively little time to develop services. It is this unprecedented pace of demographic aging which makes it such a huge public health challenge for the region.
Though the biological phenomenon of aging is universal, the daily life of an older person varies considerably according to social, economic, and cultural contexts. Aging and health has many socio-cultural determinants. Social status and available social support for older people vary in different cultures. In many developing countries, older persons are accorded great respect, both within the families and in society. But the traditionally strong social support systems seem to be under strain due to the rapid social restructuring and economic changes sweeping the region.
To read more :
http://www.indianjpsychiatry.org/article
Indian J Psychiatry, Indian Journal of Psychiatry is the official publication of the Indian Psychiatric Society that considers for publication articles in all fields of Psychiatry
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Caregiver Role and Status in India
"Many people assume that India, with its allegedly strong familial systems and respect for elders, would be effective in caring for dementia patients. This may be wishful thinking.
Poor awareness of dementia affects the way care is perceived and given for the patients. While dementia is different from ageing, people who are not aware of dementia assume it to be the same as ageing.
A recent study on effectiveness of supporting home-care through interventions has been published by Amit Dias: The Effectiveness of a Home Care Program for Supporting Caregivers of Persons with Dementia in Developing Countries: A Randomised Controlled Trial from Goa, India. The interventions were basic education about dementia, education about common behaviour problems and how they can be managed, support to the caregiver (for example helping elderly caregivers with the patient’s activities of daily living), referral to medical professionals for severe behaviour problems, networking of families to enable the formation of support groups, and advice regarding existing government schemes for elders.
The study concludes:
Home based support for caregivers of persons with dementia, which emphasizes the use of locally available, low-cost human resources, is feasible, acceptable and leads to significant improvements in caregiver mental health and burden of caring".
to know more :
Poor awareness of dementia affects the way care is perceived and given for the patients. While dementia is different from ageing, people who are not aware of dementia assume it to be the same as ageing.
A recent study on effectiveness of supporting home-care through interventions has been published by Amit Dias: The Effectiveness of a Home Care Program for Supporting Caregivers of Persons with Dementia in Developing Countries: A Randomised Controlled Trial from Goa, India. The interventions were basic education about dementia, education about common behaviour problems and how they can be managed, support to the caregiver (for example helping elderly caregivers with the patient’s activities of daily living), referral to medical professionals for severe behaviour problems, networking of families to enable the formation of support groups, and advice regarding existing government schemes for elders.
The study concludes:
Home based support for caregivers of persons with dementia, which emphasizes the use of locally available, low-cost human resources, is feasible, acceptable and leads to significant improvements in caregiver mental health and burden of caring".
to know more :
http://dementia-care-notes.in/dementia/dementia-and-caregiving-in-india/
Prevalence of dementia in India
Till recently, the consensus figure for prevalence of dementia in India was used from the paper, Global prevalence of dementia: a Delphi consensus study. This paper gives the 2001 dementia population of India as 1.5 million. According to the paper, this is set to increase by more than 300% by 2040 (that is, it is estimated to reach six million).
The Dementia India Report 2010 released in September 2010 estimates the prevalence as higher than those estimated by the above Delhi consensus. According to the report:
For the year 2010, an estimated 3.7 million India people aged over 60 have dementia (2.1 million women and 1.5 million men).
The report points out that Indian studies of dementia have not been uniform across the country, with six studies from the Southern region and one each from the West, East, and Northern region. There has been a wide variation in the estimates, making it difficult to provide a consistent view for the entire country. The report uses quantitative meta-analysis to synthesize the evidence for prevalence of dementia.
An interesting observation while discussing methodological constraints is that, when the estimates of prevalence depend on reporting of cognitive decline and social impairment, the surveys underestimate prevalence because the poor awareness of dementia results in under-reporting of problems by informants/ carers.
Hopefully, as awareness grows, and as various concerned bodies conduct more studies, we will have a better idea of the true prevalence.
to know more : http://dementia-care-notes.in/dementia/dementia-and-caregiving-in-india/
The Dementia India Report 2010 released in September 2010 estimates the prevalence as higher than those estimated by the above Delhi consensus. According to the report:
For the year 2010, an estimated 3.7 million India people aged over 60 have dementia (2.1 million women and 1.5 million men).
The report points out that Indian studies of dementia have not been uniform across the country, with six studies from the Southern region and one each from the West, East, and Northern region. There has been a wide variation in the estimates, making it difficult to provide a consistent view for the entire country. The report uses quantitative meta-analysis to synthesize the evidence for prevalence of dementia.
An interesting observation while discussing methodological constraints is that, when the estimates of prevalence depend on reporting of cognitive decline and social impairment, the surveys underestimate prevalence because the poor awareness of dementia results in under-reporting of problems by informants/ carers.
Hopefully, as awareness grows, and as various concerned bodies conduct more studies, we will have a better idea of the true prevalence.
to know more : http://dementia-care-notes.in/dementia/dementia-and-caregiving-in-india/
Dementia Awareness in India
Over the years, various studies on dementia have been conducted in India.
Some interesting data on the level of dementia awareness in India is available from the 10/66 Dementia Research Group, which is a part of Alzheimer’s Disease International. The 10/66 group reports its qualitative study in India at its page here. According to this study, while the symptoms of dementia are widely recognized, they are considered a normal, anticipated part of ageing and not as an organic brain syndrome, or indeed as any kind of medical condition.
As the report explains, this general lack of awareness has important consequences, because there is no structured approach to study or manage it, and a stigma is attached to the patient, and/ or to family members who are held responsible for this state of the patient. As caregivers in India, the challenge is clear.
The Dementia India Report 2010 explains that this general lack of awareness has serious consequences, such as delayed diagnosis and not seeking help from formal medical care services. Worse, it is not just general public that suffers from this poor awareness–health care services are also less informed about dementia.
to know more : http://dementia-care-notes.in/dementia/dementia-and-caregiving-in-india/
Some interesting data on the level of dementia awareness in India is available from the 10/66 Dementia Research Group, which is a part of Alzheimer’s Disease International. The 10/66 group reports its qualitative study in India at its page here. According to this study, while the symptoms of dementia are widely recognized, they are considered a normal, anticipated part of ageing and not as an organic brain syndrome, or indeed as any kind of medical condition.
As the report explains, this general lack of awareness has important consequences, because there is no structured approach to study or manage it, and a stigma is attached to the patient, and/ or to family members who are held responsible for this state of the patient. As caregivers in India, the challenge is clear.
The Dementia India Report 2010 explains that this general lack of awareness has serious consequences, such as delayed diagnosis and not seeking help from formal medical care services. Worse, it is not just general public that suffers from this poor awareness–health care services are also less informed about dementia.
to know more : http://dementia-care-notes.in/dementia/dementia-and-caregiving-in-india/
Perspectives on dementia care in India
In the October 6, 2010 issue of The Hindu, Dr. Ennapadam S. Krishnamoorthy has written about a recent brainstorming session on future perspectives in dementia care and health policy, which was part of the National Dementia Summit held in New Delhi.The discussion reported covers the stakeholders and what the focus of the health policy should be, and presses for a comprehensive policy that addresses all essential domains of dementia care.
Read the article : Perspectives in dementia care and health policy.
http://dementia-care-notes.in/from-the-news/dementia-reports-studies-policy-news-from-india-and-outside/
Read the article : Perspectives in dementia care and health policy.
http://dementia-care-notes.in/from-the-news/dementia-reports-studies-policy-news-from-india-and-outside/
The Dementia India Report 2010 : an Inventory on Dementia prevalence and incidence in India today.
Dementia reports, studies, policy news from India
The Dementia India Report 2010 was released on September 21, 2010, World Alzheimer’s Day, and can be downloaded from the ARDSI site.
Highlights of the report are discussed on this site on the page Dementia and caregiving in India.
The release of the report received wide coverage in media. The Times of India, in its September 22, 2010 issue, in its article titled More Indian women suffer from dementia than men, says report gave highlights of the report and quoted Dr K Jacob Roy, chairman of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI).
Some excerpts:
The Dementia India Report 2010, ARDSI admits that awareness of dementia is low even amongst the medical community and support providers; some excerpts:
…there is no special emphasis on dementia diagnosis and management in the training of healthcare professionals;
There is no structured training on the recognition and management of dementia at any level of the health service;
Health care services remain insensitive to and do not provide the much needed information and support for carers and family members;
In a list identifying “Barriers to dementia care in India” (Figure 4.2) the report includes “Poor awareness even within the medical fraternity”.
Follow the link to the downloads : Executive summary(http://www.alzheimer.org.in/assets/report_summary.pdf)
and Full report ( http://www.alzheimer.org.in/assets/dementia.pdf) available.
Read more at : http://dementia-care-notes.in/from-the-news/dementia-reports-studies-policy-news-from-india-and-outside/
The Dementia India Report 2010 was released on September 21, 2010, World Alzheimer’s Day, and can be downloaded from the ARDSI site.
Highlights of the report are discussed on this site on the page Dementia and caregiving in India.
The release of the report received wide coverage in media. The Times of India, in its September 22, 2010 issue, in its article titled More Indian women suffer from dementia than men, says report gave highlights of the report and quoted Dr K Jacob Roy, chairman of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI).
Some excerpts:
The Dementia India Report 2010, ARDSI admits that awareness of dementia is low even amongst the medical community and support providers; some excerpts:
…there is no special emphasis on dementia diagnosis and management in the training of healthcare professionals;
There is no structured training on the recognition and management of dementia at any level of the health service;
Health care services remain insensitive to and do not provide the much needed information and support for carers and family members;
In a list identifying “Barriers to dementia care in India” (Figure 4.2) the report includes “Poor awareness even within the medical fraternity”.
Follow the link to the downloads : Executive summary(http://www.alzheimer.org.in/assets/report_summary.pdf)
and Full report ( http://www.alzheimer.org.in/assets/dementia.pdf) available.
Read more at : http://dementia-care-notes.in/from-the-news/dementia-reports-studies-policy-news-from-india-and-outside/
Dementia : what you need to know in Hindi.
Alzheimer's Disease International :
Their site is available in English, but you can find information about Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in Hindi at the following links:
http://www.alzscot.org/downloads/hindi.pdf
http://www.alzheimers.org.au/understanding-dementia/hindi.aspx
Translated Hindi Help Sheets in pdf format. Advice, common sense tips and strategies on the most common issues.
What is dementia? (PDF)
Diagnosing dementia (PDF)
Early planning (PDF)
Changed Behaviours (PDF)
Communication (PDF)
Taking a break (PDF)
Worried about your Memory? A brochure to recognise early signs (PDF)
Asia Pacific Report Executive Summary (PDF)
Their site is available in English, but you can find information about Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in Hindi at the following links:
http://www.alzscot.org/downloads/hindi.pdf
http://www.alzheimers.org.au/understanding-dementia/hindi.aspx
Translated Hindi Help Sheets in pdf format. Advice, common sense tips and strategies on the most common issues.
What is dementia? (PDF)
Diagnosing dementia (PDF)
Early planning (PDF)
Changed Behaviours (PDF)
Communication (PDF)
Taking a break (PDF)
Worried about your Memory? A brochure to recognise early signs (PDF)
Asia Pacific Report Executive Summary (PDF)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)