Soumya Swaminathan, chairperson of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, on Saturday, raised the need for more data on dementia, trained caregivers for persons diagnosed with dementia, and research on interventions and the prevention of dementia.
Taking part in the second anniversary celebrations of the Sri T.S. Santhanam Centre for Elderly Care, she said that there was a long way to go in creating acceptance in the community of mental health problems, and also creating awareness about dementia, a condition that is still not very well understood.
“Very often, in the early stages in particular, people misunderstand and misinterpret the symptoms…It is attributed to old age; of course getting older is one of the risk factors for dementia. But then, dementia is a condition that individuals really cannot help. With early cognitive stimulations and the right kind of interventions, the quality of life of these people can be greatly enhanced,” she said.
