Not to forget
Diagnosed back in 1906 for the first time, Alzheimer's disease is one of
the diseases affecting the elderly, marked by a tremendous psychological impact
on not only the patient but on their families and the primary care givers to
great extents. September being world Alzheimer's month dedicated to bringing
awareness about Alzheimer's and other dementia conditions which more than 50
million people worldwide suffer from today, September 21 is globally observed
as World Alzheimer's Day.
Alzheimer's Disease International informs that a new
dementia case is registered every 3.2 seconds totaling up to 9.9 million cases
worldwide per year. What is commonly perceived as the disease of chronic
forgetfulness, dementia is a range of symptoms that are associated with
deteriorating memory or other thinking skills, the most severe of which can
affect regular mundane functioning of the affected person. Dementia, however,
is not a specific disease but an umbrella under which Alzheimer's disease
accounts for over two-thirds of all diagnosed cases. There happens to be over a
hundred different forms of dementia besides Alzheimer's. The average age limit
for the diagnosis of dementia is just 65, and this is young given latest medical
care facilities and resultant life expectancy.
On the flipside, this increased
life expectancy also means more people being prone to be diagnosed with
dementia because of the rising overall numbers of elderly people in the world.
India has an imposing demographic dividend and this also implies a massive
strength of elderly in India in the foreseeable future. As per census
estimates, India's elderly population increased from 70 million to 104 million
between 2001 and 2011. In 2011, the population over 60 years of age comprised
8.6 per cent of the total population. As the population ages, the burden of
geriatric diseases will get heavier and preparedness for that is necessary,
especially for degenerative diseases like dementia. A lack of awareness compounded
by a dearth of specialists in geriatric diseases paints an unfortunate picture
of the ailing elderly. Also considering a right to life with dignity, awareness
of the disease is crucial to preparedness to deal with it.