Dementia in India 2020

In 2010, an estimated 3.7 million people lived with dementia in India. This number is likely to increase to 5.29 million in 2020, this report states. Released by Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI), Cochin, this report compiles data points to present an overview of the state of dementia in India.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) defined dementia as a “syndrome due to disease of the brain, usually of a chronic or progressive nature, in which there is disturbance of multiple higher cortical functions, including memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension…” It is often confused with delirium, depression and other autoimmune diseases. People above the age of 65 years are mostly affected by dementia, but it can also impact people younger, the report states.  Dementia does not have a cure, and all the treatments available for it are meant to slow down the decay of brain functioning. Greater awareness about dementia is needed to diagnose the symptoms early and provide people with treatment, the report adds.  This 96-page report is divided into 14 chapters: Words that matter- excerpts from people with dementia and their caregivers (Chapter 1); Dementia- Introduction, Assessment and Diagnosis (Chapter 2); Psychological and Behavioural Interventions in Dementia (Chapter 3); Medical Management of Dementia: A Review of Existing Guidelines (Chapter 4); Dementia Prevalence in India- Estimating the Numbers (Chapter 5); Dementia Care Costs (Chapter 6); Legal and Ethical Issues in Dementia: Indian Scenario (Chapter 7); Development of Community Resources for Dementia Care (Chapter 8); Community Based Rehabilitation of People with Dementia: An Indian Experience (Chapter 9); Caregiver Stress and interventions (Chapter 10); Digital Interventions to Support Families (Chapter 11); Dementia: Risk and Protective Factors (Chapter 12); Experts’ and Stakeholders’ Consensus on Challenges and Priorities in Dementia (Chapter 13); National Dementia Strategy and Plan for India- the Roadmap (Chapter 14).