Dementia patients need special care

Dementia patients, who suffer from severe decline of memory and thinking ability, need special care from family, society and the state, said speakers at a roundtable yesterday. 

"We need to love and take care of dementia patients like we take care of children," said Prof Dr Qazi Deen Mohammad, director of the National Institute of Neurosciences Hospital, explaining the condition which severely hampers mental ability of people above the age of 60.

The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, though dementia can occur after a stroke or due to vitamin deficiencies, he said.

The roundtable on building a dementia-friendly society was organised by the daily Prothom Alo in association with Sir William Beveridge Foundation, a UK based international charity, at the newspaper's office in the capital.

"It is a non-reversible brain disorder. The connectivity in our brain cells starts breaking down resulting in memory loss, behavioural change, cognitive change, loss of language, and problem recognising and solving skills," said Dr Deen Mohammad Nurul Haque, director general (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Services.

He said at present the government does not have any separate programme to address dementia but it can be included as a non-communicable disease along with diabetes, stroke, trauma and cancer.

Dr Ashfaqueuzzaman Choudhury, advisor psychiatrist at Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), suggested brain exercise along with regular physical activity, a balanced diet and social interaction.

During a presentation about Sir William Beveridge Foundation's project on the issue, Maj Gen Jiban Kanai Das (retd), head of operations of the organisation, said, "At present, there are approximately three lakh people who suffer from dementia in Bangladesh and by 2050 the number will increase to 14 lakh."

He said the foundation is creating awareness about the disease and provided a 24-hour helpline 01733-222-999 for any queries. Fouzia Khan, wife of former scientific officer Mozaffar Husain, a dementia patient, shared how her husband complained of memory loss, headache and inability to do his work properly, and suggested putting the address and phone number of the caregiver in the pockets of the patients as they tend to get lost. Dr Rehman Jilani, founder of Sir William Beveridge Foundation, also spoke.