Walkathon in Mumbai : HelpAge India programme

Helpage India request you to attend the walkathon on 1^st Oct.’09 between 3.15 pm to 4 pm from Plaza Theatre to Aaji aajoba Udyan,Dadar(W)

The cause of the elderly needs attention because we are a society in transition with changing values, which has led to the breakdown of the joint family, resulting in lack of security for the elderly. Moreover, with rising longevity, the number of elderly in society is also increasing at a phenomenal rate. From 92 million today the gray population is expected to rise to 177 million by 2025. At present of the 60+ population, 90% have no social security, 40% are below the poverty line and 70% are illiterate.With increasing life expectancy many older persons are now spending longer years out of paid work,dependent on family,on public health care and battling illness and a steep rise in the cost of living. You will appreciate that we have a monumental task ahead.

As we know that United Nations decleared 1^st October as “International Day Of Older Persons”.On this special day HelpAge India, a national level secular, apolitical, non-profit and non-government organization working for the cause and care of disadvantaged older persons from last three decades,organisining a campaign titled “Age Demands Action”.

Towards this we are conducting a Walkathon on 1^st October’09.The proposed walkathon will start from Plaza Theatre,Dadar(W) at 3.15 pm & culminate at Aaji Aajoba Udyan,Near Shivaji Park,Dadar(W) at 4.15 pm.The walkathon will be flagged off by Shri.Kiran Shantaram at Plaza Theatre.The participants will consist of around 50-60 Sr.Citizens & some students.They will be carrying the placards which will focus on issues related to the Sr.Citizens such as Social Security,Health Care,Shelter, National Policy On Older Persons,etc.

We look forward to your support and cooperation in the matter.

Thank you,

Yours truly,

Prakash Borgaonkar

Joint Director RM (W)

HelpAge India

34A/44, Guruchhaya,

Manish Nagar, Andheri (W)

Mumbai 400 053.

Prakash.Borgaonkar@helpageindia.org

‘Women and Retirement Planning’ seminar in Mumbai

Women for Good Governance cordially invites you to attend a very informative seminar on ‘Women and Retirement Planning’ On Friday 2nd October 2009 from 10 am to 5.40 pm at All India Local Self Government, Juhu Lane, Andheri (W), Mumbai.


This seminar is organized with the objective of raising awareness on the topic and to find ways to deal with it. Today women are enjoying better life span but the stress and disease is taking its toll on the quality of the lives esp. for women. Very few fortunate women enjoy their life on retiring from work or when responsibilities towards children are fulfilled. Seminar will emphasize on Hobby/Skill development/ Finance Matters / Property / Insurance / WILL / Health problems related to age and its management.

While Mrs. Seema Redkar, BMC officer on special duty will be Chief Guest. Main speakers are Dr. Rajiv Anand, Mrs Gulistan Carpenter, Dr. Rekha Bhatkhande, Dr. Mahendra Mehta & Mr. S S Pai.

Special Registration charges fro Senior Citizens Rs. 150/- (includes lunch, teas and relevant material )

For affirmation & registration, please call:

Dr. Shashi Sharma: 9819140555
shashisohan@hotmail.com ; ramita@gmail.com

A Look Inside the Alzheimer's Brain

A Look Inside the Alzheimer's Brain

Shared via AddThis

Helping Elderly Leave Nursing Homes for a Home

Walter Brown never wanted to live in a nursing home, but when he had a stroke two years ago, he saw little choice. Mr. Brown, 72, could not walk, use his left arm or transfer himself into his wheelchair.


“It was like being in jail,” Mr. Brown said on a recent afternoon. “In the nursing home you’ve got to do what they say when they say it, go to bed when they tell you, eat what they want you to eat. The food was terrible.”


But recently state workers helped Mr. Brown find a two-bedroom apartment in public housing here, which he shares with his daughter. “It just makes me more relaxed, more confident in myself,” he said, speaking with some difficulty, but with a broad smile. “More confident in the future.”


A growing number of states are reaching out to people like Mr. Brown, who have been in nursing homes for more than six months, aiming to disprove the notion that once people have settled into a nursing home, they will be there forever. Since 2007, Medicaid has teamed up with 29 states to finance such programs, enabling the low-income elderly and people with disabilities to receive many services in their own homes.


The program in Pennsylvania provides up to $4,000 in moving expenses, including a furniture allowance and modifications to the apartment, and Mr. Brown has a home health aide every morning and a care manager to arrange for services like physical therapy. The new programs, financed largely by $1.75 billion from Medicaid, are a sharp departure from past practices, where Medicaid practically steered people into nursing homes.


“Medicaid has had an institutional bias in favor of nursing homes,” even for people who do not need them, said Gene Coffey, a staff lawyer at the nonprofit National Senior Citizens Law Center. “Federal law requires states to provide nursing home services. They don’t have to provide home or community-based services.”


For Mr. Brown, the transition to his own home has changed his life, he said. Now, with his motorized wheelchair, he travels the city on public buses, visiting friends in other neighborhoods.


“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “In the nursing home I got up at 5 o’clock in the morning, then the rest of the day was just watching the TV or my VCR. I wanted to be able to get out and see people, see the world. I didn’t want to be confined. Now I go where I want to go.”

States and the federal government hope to save money, though research about cost savings has so far been inconclusive. A recent study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found that home care costs taxpayers $44,000 a year less than a nursing home stay — though this number cannot be used to estimate total savings, because often home-based services replace family care, not nursing home care.


About 1.5 million Americans are living in nursing homes.


“It’s amazing how quickly people can end up in a nursing home,” said Jean Janik, the director of community living options at the nonprofit Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. “Say you’re a single man and have a stroke, and need to go into a nursing home to rehab. You’re elderly so you don’t quite bounce back quickly. After 60 days, Medicare doesn’t pay any longer, so you need a Medicaid grant to stay in the nursing home. Then your Social Security will go to the nursing home.”


Many lose their apartments and regular support from family members, Ms. Janik said.


“We meet people who say, ‘I went to the hospital and next thing I know, here I am. I don’t know what happened to my apartment.’ ” Ms. Janik added, “We go and check, and it’s not in their name. Especially if they don’t have a strong family support system in place. A lot of people just think, Uncle Joe fell and broke his hip and now he’s in a nursing home, so be it, that’s where he’ll be. People don’t realize they can get services in their home.”


Each participating state has designed its own program, called Money Follows the Person. The federal government, which shares Medicaid costs, provides extra financing for the first year.


Some experts worry that the programs will end up transferring some of the expenses of caring for the elderly or the disabled to their family members.
Carol Irvin, a senior researcher at Mathematica Policy Research has been contracted by Medicare and Medicaid Services to study the costs of the program in its first five years.


“It could be shifting costs onto a person’s relatives,” Ms. Irvin said. “But even if it’s not saving money, a lot of people believe living in the community is the right thing for individuals.”


Elizabeth Kamara, 72, spent 18 months in a nursing home after having her left foot amputated because of diabetes. Mrs. Kamara can get around using a walker, but in the nursing home she spent whole days in a wheelchair.


“I just let people do things for me,” she said. “They say, ‘If you fall, we’ll get in trouble. Please sit down.’ ”

Mrs. Kamara has moved into a independent living facility, where she cooks dishes from her native Sierra Leone and navigates the hallways on her own. She gives herself insulin injections and gets a friend to drive her to doctors’ appointments. An aide comes twice a week to help clean. “This is my home; I’m free,” she said. “In the nursing home it was two persons in one room. Here I have my privacy. I can get my hair done, my nails done.”


Susan C. Reinhard, a senior vice president of the AARP Public Policy Institute, said of Money Follows the Person: “It’s gotten Congress’s attention, and shown that people can leave a nursing home. That is a wake-up.”


For Esther Pinckney, 88, who ended up in a nursing home after a stroke, moving out has been literally a breath of fresh air. Ms. Pinckney now lives in a bright subsidized apartment where home aides visit twice a day.


“What didn’t I like about the nursing home?” she asked recently. “What would you like about smell, smell, smell, morning, noon and night?”


Because Ms. Pinckney lost her apartment and furniture while she was in the nursing home, the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging bought her new furniture and a microwave oven. Before, she said, her Social Security check went to the nursing home; now she pays 30 percent of her check for her rent. “I couldn’t even buy a soda,” Ms. Pinckney said. “You want to be independent, don’t you? That’s what I wanted.”


Life on her own has not been perfect, she admitted. Aides often fail to show up or spend their time talking on the telephone.


But her pastor takes her to church four times a week, and she can go to stores near her building. If her health should fail again, she said, she did not like to think about going back into a nursing home.


“Don’t mention it,” she said, her face tightening. “I don’t want to do that.”


Source: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2009/nursing-homes.htm

Older, Wiser, Slower: After 50

Avid Athletes Find That to Stay Healthy, They Must Let Go of the Need to Win

During Sunday's Chicago Triathlon, I kept my heart rate low, cut my pace at every hint of muscular or cardiovascular pain and crossed the finish line about half an hour behind my personal record in that race. It was exhilarating.

What I accomplished is a goal I once considered unreachable, not to mention undesirable: I raced without competing. My ranking among the more than 4,200 participants in the Olympic-distance triathlon couldn't have mattered less to me. More important, I ditched the notion of competing against oneself. That had been an appealing concept at age 40, when I was fitter, faster and trimmer than I'd been at age 20. But at 50, the triumphs of the last decade—the time I flew past most of the few-and-proud at the Marine Corps Triathlon—are far behind me, and anyway my cardiologist is urging moderation since the discovery of an aneurysm in my aortic root. "Race all you want," he says, "but keep your heart rate below 120," far lower than most peak workout targets.

Amid ever-rising calls for more exercise in America, there isn't much guidance on cutting back. As the baby boomers who fueled marathon and triathlon crazes enter their 50s and 60s, their unquenched competitiveness can become a threat to their stiffening joints, rigid muscles, hardening arteries and high-mileage hearts. And it doesn't help that nearly every exercise message they hear emphasizes more. It's as if nobody wants to acknowledge that exercise isn't the fountain of youth.

"The no-pain-no-gain mentality suggests that you can keep making gains if you just work harder," says Mark Allen, a 51-year-old athletic coach once known as the world's fittest man for winning six Ironman Triathlon World Championships. As co-author of a new book called "Fit Soul, Fit Body," Mr. Allen argues against fighting age with more hours on the treadmill. "If you can't let up on the competitive part of it, if you have to go as fast at 50 as you did at 20, you will grind yourself into the ground and become stressed out, bitter and unhealthy," he says.

A growing number of exercise scientists are questioning the more-and-harder philosophy of fitness, and not only for aging athletes. A study published last year in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine reinforced other recent research showing that intensity tends to diminish the view of physical activity as pleasant. "Evidence shows that feeling worse during exercise translates to doing less exercise in the future," says Panteleimon Ekkekakis, an author of that study and a professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University.

Taking on new sports or challenges can give long-used muscles a break while feeding the desire for new goals, says Marjorie Albohm, president of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, who at 58 has become a recent devotee of spinning. "As you age, you have to be flexible about new activities.

Of course, exercise can provide substantial protection against chronic ailments ranging from heart disease and diabetes to dementia and depression, all the while helping weight control. But like any medical treatment, exercise can also cause damage, particularly in older athletes. The risk of sudden cardiac death rises substantially during exercise. Overuse injuries, especially involving joints, rise with age.

Older athletes struggling against declining performance are prone to excess training, which can hurt the immune system and raise levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. A number of medical experts, including Kenneth Cooper, the physician long ago credited with founding the aerobics movement, now believe that extreme exercise can increase the body's vulnerability to disease like cancer.

For aging athletes, it is loss of prowess that can lead either to abandoning exercise or to a health-endangering doubling up of it, "in pursuit of what can't be recaptured," as Mr. Allen puts it.

In his mid-40s, after dozens of triathlons and swimming competitions, Dan Projansky was yearning for something new, so he took up the unusual challenge of open-water distance swimming, using only the butterfly. That's a stroke that wears out many accomplished swimmers after a few hundred yards. But this month, Mr. Projansky gained glory in national swimming circles for completing an open-water 10-kilometer swim using only the butterfly. "I belong in the psych ward," jokes Mr. Projansky, a suburban Chicago insurance professional who is 51.

The competitive flame is hard to extinguish, as the returns from retirement of cyclist Lance Armstrong and professional quarterback Brett Favre have shown. And it's no different for fanatical amateurs. A decade ago, marriage and children brought to an end the elite triathlon career of Matt Rhodes, a 50-year-old Chicago metals trader. But in the pool where he swims these days, he competes against whoever is in the lane beside him, particularly if that athlete appears younger, "and I'm crushed if he's faster than me, even though he doesn't know I exist," says Mr. Rhodes. He still believes, "probably wrongly," that he could match his long-ago feats in triathlon.

Charles North similarly understands the undying nature of competitive urges. He was relieved when knee troubles ended his record of elite-level distance running, including a 2:46:34 Boston Marathon. As a practicing physician with two young children, "I really didn't have time to train like that anymore," he says.

But no sooner did Dr. North start swimming than he began plotting how to finish atop his age group at statewide meets. "Then it occurred to me, 'What does it matter?' " recalls Dr. North, 61. Even so, while cycling in the hills around Albuquerque these days, he often feels compelled to pass the riders he comes upon, he says, especially if they're younger.

In my case, the aneurysm-induced prohibition against high-intensity aerobics seven years ago presented an ultimatum: Either give up trying my hardest in races, or quit racing altogether. At the time, I was still setting personal records, and training alongside competitors who had the Ironman logo tattooed on their ankles.

Unable to imagine myself aiming for last place, I gave up triathlon. For exercise, I devoted usually an hour a day to walking, riding a stationary bike or jogging around a neighborhood track, and occasionally lifting a few weights.

As the years passed, it began to seem remarkable to me that I had ever engaged in hours-long bouts of exercise. Eventually, I started wondering whether I still had the stamina to do it—even at a snail's pace, per doctor's orders.

That's when the old excitement returned. During Sunday's triathlon—a one-mile swim, 25-mile bike ride and 6.2-mile run—there were moments when I felt tempted to speed it up, usually to pass somebody. But mostly I resisted, allowing myself to turn it on only in sight of the finish line. After crossing it, I entered the medical tent and checked my heart rate: It was 97. My time was about 2:54. Next year I'm aiming for just over three hours.


Source:
http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2009/Slower.htm

Prof. Cathy Greenblat’s Photo Exhibition in Mumbai “Living with Alzheimer’s”

On behalf of ARDSI (Alzheimer's & Related Disorders Society of India) we are pleased to inform you that during this year's (WAD) World Alzheimer’s Day 2009 extended programme we are organizing exhibition of Prof. Cathy’s photographs titles – “Living with Alzheimer’s”.

Prof. Cathy Greenblat is a world renowned photographer of people with dementia; has done several exhibition of her work across the globe and has won several awards. Two years ago she visited India and photographed some people with dementia. The author of 14 books and more than 100 articles Prof. Cathy Greenblat is Professor Emerita of Sociology at Rutgers University where she served for 35 years as a member of the Department of Sociology, Women’s Studies, and the Bloustein School of Planning.

Programme

Wed Sep 30th: 2pm to 4pm Presentation on "Seeing Dementia Differently” at Mini Auditorium, SVT College of Home Science, SNDT, Juhu Campus

Thu 1st Oct: 12.30 pm Presentation on 'Importance of Community Care for Dementia ‘ at full Day Programme of AISCCON (All India Confederation of Senior Citizens)on the occasion of World Elders Day programme at Vishnudas Bhave Natyagriha, Sector 16-A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.

Fri 2nd Oct: 11am to 12.15 pm presentation on "Seeing Dementia Differently" at Shree Manav Seva Sangh , opp Gandhi Market, Sion.

Sat 3rd Oct: 3pm to 6pm Presentation on 'My Photograph for Dementia Care'. at Mini Auditorium, SNDT College, Juhu at World Elders Day programme of Silver Inning Foundation ' UMNAG' - the talent show for Elderly .Prof Cathy is Chief

Guest.

Mon 5th Oct: 3pm to 4.30 pm Presentation and Press Conference on 'Global Photo Documentation Experience of Dementia’ at Nalanda, Times Foundation, The Times of India Bldg, Dr,D.N.Road, Opp CST station, Mumbai – 400 001

5.30 to 6.45pm Presentation on ”Understanding Dementia Care through Photograph' at Harmony Center for Elderly at Thakurdwar ,Giragum, Mumbai.

Organised by

Alzheimer's & Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) in association with Silver Inning Foundation, Times Foundation, SVT College, AISCCON, Harmony for Silver Foundation and Shree Manav Seva Sangh

Contact:

Sailesh Mishra
Founder President - Silver Inning Foundation
Founder – ARDSI Greater Mumbai Chapter
Mobile: 0091 9819819145

Email: sailesh2000@gmail.com ; silverinnings@yahoo.co.in

www.silverinnings.com

World's Oldest Man Parties On 113th Birthday

The world's oldest man has celebrated his 113th birthday - revealing he takes one aspirin a day to stay healthy.

Walter Breuning celebrated his milestone with a party at his home in the Rainbow Retirement Community in Great Falls, Montana.

He told those gathered: "Remember that life's length is not measured by its hours and days, but by that which we have done therein.

"A useless life is short if it lasts a century.

"There are greater and better things in us all, if we would find them out. There will always be in this world - wrongs. No wrong is really successful.

"The day will come when light and truth and the just and the good shall be victorious and wrong as evil will be no more forever."

The 113-year-old, considered to be the world's oldest man, attributes his long life to eating well and keeping physically and mentally active.

He also says he takes one aspirin a day.

Mr Breuning is in such good shape that he still strolls the halls of the retirement home, wearing a suit and tie, and walks the ramps to his second-floor apartment.

He was born on September 21, 1896, in Melrose, Minnesota.

In 1912, he became a railway worker, which led him to Montana in 1918. He stayed in the job until retiring in 1963.

Mr Breuning has outlived all of his family.

He lost his wife in 1957 after 35 years of marriage - they did not have any children.

Source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090922/tod-world-s-oldest-man-parties-on-113th-870a197.html

21st Sep World Alzheimer's Day: Sign Global Alzheimer's Disease Charter

We are facing a public health and social care emergency and immediate action is needed !

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and accounts for 60-70% of all cases. Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are progressive, degenerative illnesses that attack the brain. They affect people's abilities, impacting on all aspects of their life and upon others in their lives, particularly those who care for them day by day.

Every year, 4.6 million new cases of dementia are reported worldwide: One new case every seven seconds. By 2050, it is projected that there will be 100 million people with dementia in the world. No country is adequately prepared to deal with a crisis of this magnitude.

Lack of awareness and understanding has resulted in insufficient resources to address this crisis. Worldwide, attention to this rapidly growing problem is so small that most of those affected continue to suffer without help, or hope.

Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia are not a natural part of ageing. Prevention is possible. Care can improve quality of life for the person with dementia and their families. Medical research will continue to improve upon existing effective treatments. Be positive and adopt the solutions that will help millions of people today and tomorrow.

The following six principles should be adopted to make Alzheimer's disease and other dementias a global priority:

1. Promote awareness and understanding of the disease
2. Respect the human rights of people with the disease
3. Recognize the key role of families and carers
4. Provide access to health and social care
5. Stress the importance of optimal treatment after diagnosis
6. Take action to prevent the disease, through improvements in public health

Sign the Global Alzheimer's Disease Charter: http://www.globalcharter.org/ and support our Fight against Dementia.


Watch the Film : http://www.globalcharter.org/film/


Silver Inning Foundation supports this charter.

Saviours of the old

An initiative that helps patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's with proper care.


An extremely jovial 60-year-old, Mandakini Kamtekar was a person of cool temperament. Not until one day when her family began noticing extreme behavioural changes in her."She became very aggressive, almost to the point of hitting us. She kept forgetting things and would pick up a toothbrush and start brushing her teeth," recalls Jyoti, daughter-in-law of Kamtekar. As the lapses in her memory increased, the family approached Devendra Save, a practising psychiatrist and a core team member of Silver Innings Dementia Support Group who diagnosed Kamtekar as a patient of Alzheimer's, a common form of dementia, a brain disorder that affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities and is most common in old age.

Just a year-old initiative, the Silver Innings Dementia Support Group,a collaboration between Silver Inning Foundation, a NGO for elderly citizens and Alzheimer's and Related Disorder Society of India (ARDSI) has already reached out to 657 families. It isa collaborative initiative meant to assist patients diagnosed with dementia and specifically Alzheimer's. Moreover, on the occasion of World Alzheimer's Day on September 21, it plans to launch a first-of-its-kind geriatric psychological service in the city. As part of the service, clinical psychologists will not only provide free consultation on the phone to seniors but also pay a visit to the home of an Alzheimer's patient and chalk out the future course of treatment in consultation with the family.

The support group started by Sailesh Mishra, founder president, Silver Inning Foundation offers a variety of services to aid patients suffering from Alzheimer's. Mishra, who left a well paying corporate job to help the elderly in the society says, "I think the seniors are the most ignored and neglected lot." Mishra, earlier associated with Dignity Foundation, branched out to form his own NGO and then the dementia support group.

Anu Vijay Kumar, a human resource manger in a reputed firm, was leading a happy family life with her two children and husband, also a senior executive in a firm. However, she was in for a rude shock when she learnt that her husband had fallen prey to Alzheimer's at the age of 52. This was eight years ago. Today, her husband, is confined to a wheelchair. He doesn't recognise Anu and their children; has forgotten the language and is totally dependent on Anu, who continues to juggle between her job and taking care of her husband.

However, for Kumar, help and advice from Silver Inning Foundation helps her provide correct treatment and support to her husband. "I keep consulting them often. I have now decided to get my husband's bed barricaded from all sides to avoid any falls and I will be talking to Mishra about it," says Anu.

The group also spreads awareness about dementia and Alzheimer's. "What you need for Alzheimer's is food for the brain. While abroad there are Alzheimer's products like talking clock, bold font calendars, day reminders etc, here there are no products of this sort. This goes on to show the apathy and lack of awareness about Alzheimer's ," rues Mishra.

Their message has helped people like Kamtekar and her family who have tried to explain to their distant relatives that Mandakini is not "mad" as they think her to be and doesn't need to go to an asylum but just needs love and care.


Since, there is no universal therapy to treat Alzheimer's patients, the techniques to keep the patients brain pro-active varies. Mishra, on receiving a call, personally visits the patient's home along with a psychiatrist and psychologist to understand the problem and offer solutions. But Mishra says that the involvement and understanding of the family is extremely vital. "Alzheimer's only gets worse with time and the patient becomes entirely dependent on the family. Our effort is to just make their time and living a little easier," he says.


By Humaira Ansari


Courtesy:
http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_saviours-of-the-old_1291436

"Long sleepers" show higher dementia risk

How could something that feels so good - a long night's sleep - have negative consequences? Unfortunately, that is one possibility that results of a new study suggest: Older adults who sleep nine or more hours each day may have a higher risk of developing dementia than those who spend fewer hours in bed.

Spanish researchers found that among nearly 3,300 older adults they followed for three years, those who slept nine or more hours per day, daytime naps included, were about twice as likely to develop dementia as those who typically slept for seven hours.

These "long sleepers" were at increased risk even when the researchers accounted for several factors that can affect both sleep and dementia risk -- including age, education, and smoking and drinking habits.

Still, the findings show only an association between longer sleep and dementia, and do not prove that extra hours in bed, per se, contribute to mental decline.

"It remains to be established how the relation between longer sleep duration and dementia is mediated," Dr. Julian Benito-Leon, of University Hospital '12 de Octubre' in Madrid, told Reuters Health in an email.

One possibility, according to Benito-Leon, is that increased fatigue and sleep is an initial sign of early dementia in some people.

Another theory is that one or more underlying health problems may increase older adults' need for sleep, as well as contribute to dementia. The breathing disorder sleep apnea, for instance, causes fatigue and has been linked to impairments in thinking and memory in older adults.

It's also possible, Benito-Leon said, that excessive sleep somehow directly affects dementia risk -- though, if that is true, there is no known physiological explanation.

The study findings, which appear in the European Journal of Neurology, are based on evaluations of 3,286 adults age 65 and older. At the outset, all were screened for dementia and reported on their typical sleep habits.

Over the next three years, 140 study participants were diagnosed with dementia. Among those who had said they slept at least nine hours per day, just over 5 percent developed dementia. That compared with roughly 2 percent of men and women who slept for seven hours per day, and 4 percent of those who logged eight hours.

On the other end of the spectrum, 5 percent of "short sleepers" -- those who got five or fewer hours of sleep per day -- were diagnosed with dementia during the study. However, when the researchers weighed other factors, lack of sleep, in and of itself, was no longer linked to a higher dementia risk.

While excessive sleep may or may not contribute to dementia, it could be considered a potential sign of a problem, according to Benito-Leon.

He recommended that if an older adult who has typically slept the standard seven or eight hours per day suddenly starts needing more sleep, he or she should discuss the change with a doctor.


Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE58A3W220090911

In Kenya Lifeline On the Way for Elderly People

Elderly people in Kenya could soon enjoy subsidised healthy foods and medication. A government document that calls for a radical shift in the way ageing Kenyans are treated also recommends the establishment of credit facilities for them to enhance their nutritional status. This would be achieved through their involvement in income-generation.

Kenya's senior citizens are increasingly being abandoned by their families, forcing them to join the destitute population in urban areas, particularly in slums, according to the Sessional Paper on a National Policy on Older Persons and Ageing.

According to the policy document, neglect, abuse and violence against the elderly have become common in Kenya and need urgent attention. An increasing number of elderly people are at risk of suffering physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, financial and material abuse, even in the hands of their close relatives.

Kenyan families have been found to attach little value to the contributions that the elderly make, a situation that fuels the rising cases of neglect. The government is now pushing for a review of programmes that support families but fail to take account of the interests and key roles played by the elderly.

"In families afflicted by HIV/Aids, older persons carry the burden of caring for the sick and large numbers of orphaned grandchildren," says the document. To minimise challenges associated with old age, the paper says the government needs to implement a national nutrition education programme for all age groups to ensure good nutrition at all levels.

It acknowledges that food security and nutrition are critical factors affecting the lives of the elderly. Good nutrition in childhood and throughout life affects health and nutritional status in old age.

Unfortunately, most nutrition curricular do not include the elderly. Nutritional assessments tend to focus on children and child-bearing women at the exclusion of elderly people. During difficult times, such as the current drought, elderly people are often marginalised from food relief programmes.

This could change as the government seeks to develop and review national food security and nutrition policies, including those covering emergency situations, to address the specific needs of the elderly.

Currently, the African population of those aged 60 years and above is about 4.2 million. Population ageing has major consequences in all facets of life. In the social sphere, it affects health and healthcare, family composition and living arrangements, housing and migration.

To cushion the ageing at the family level, the government, through the paper, is seeking to formulate cultural policies that promote family care and protection of the elderly.

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200909140651.html

“Free Homeopathy Workshop" in Mumbai

Greetings from Axis Bank!


We Axis Bank Borivali (West) branch inviting you and members of your association to take part in "Free Homeopathy Workshop" on Sunday, 13th September, 2009.

Workshop will be conducted by Dr. Neha Seth, M.D. Homeopathy


Venue:
Borivali Medical Brotherhood,
Shree M.B. Chhadwa Medical Hall,
"Doctor" House, Ground Floor,
51st TPS Road,
Borivali (W),
Mumbai 400092.


Timing: 4:30pm to 7:30pm


We seek the immense pleasure of your presence at workshop take the benefit of the valuable knowledge to be shared by the expert.


Also, kindly let us know your attendance.


For any clarification kindly contact the undersigned or Sreejith Sethumadhavan Relationship Manager on 9920970695



Thanks & Regards,
Manish Solanki
RM-Senior Privilege & Smart Privilege
AXIS Bank Ltd.
Borivali (W) Branch
Mumbai
India
022- 67890601(M)98929 32865
email: solanki.manish@axisbank.com

World Alzheimer's Day 2009 Events in Mumbai,India

World Alzheimer's Awareness Week 2009 - Mumbai

The theme for World Alzheimer's Day™ 2009 is Diagnosing Dementia: See It Sooner


On the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Day on 21st Sep 2009 ARDSI (Alzheimer's & Related Disorders Society of India) Greater Mumbai and Mumbai Chapter in association with ‘Silver Inning Foundation’ is proud to Announce Ten Day Programme to create awareness about Dementia and Alzheimer’s in city of Mumbai. All over India ARDSI and its networking organisation will hold awareness campaign.

World Alzheimer's Day 21st September was launched in 1994 by ADI (Alzheimer's Disease International's). The theme for 2009 is, Diagnosing Dementia: See It Sooner' with focus on early diagnosis.

Dementia is a progressive brain dysfunction ,it is a brain disorder which results in a restriction of daily activities and in most cases leads in the long term to the need for care mostly in 60 + age group. There are many forms of dementia, the most common one being Alzheimer's disease. The disease knows no social, economic, or ethnic boundaries.

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia. Other causes include vascular disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and fronto-temporal dementia. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a silent killer of brain and lives of world’s elderly people. It is the fourth leading cause of death among the older adults in the developed world. The symptoms can broadly include difficulties with language, significant short-term memory loss, time disorientation, difficulty in making decisions, showing signs of depression and aggression and lack of initiative and motivation. Alzheimer's Disease is not a normal part of the aging process. It is a disease. It can strike anyone.

There are 30 million people around the world, It is estimated that there will be 4.6 million new cases of dementia every year worldwide .The number of people with dementia is projected to increase to over 100 million worldwide by 2050. Every seven seconds, somewhere in the world, there is a new case of dementia. It’s the Diseases of 21st Century.More than 3 million people in India are estimated to have dementia. The Number of people affected is set to rise to over 6 million by 2050. Dementia is surrounded by myth and stigma and in many parts of the country. It is thought to be a normal part of aging. Many people believe that if your have dementia, nothing can be done about it. While there is no cure for most causes of dementia at present, there is great deal of advice, support and information available from Alzheimer’s associations like Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India ,Silver Inning Foundation and Nightingale Trust.


Event Details:

All India:

National Photography Competitions on Dementia 2009 - Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India announces National Photographic award on Dementia – 2009. The theme of the competition is “Active Life with Dementia” . Any professional or amateur photographer of ages 18 and above.The competition is open from 1st September 2009 to 5th November 2009.Contact The Project Officer, ARDSI, Madavana Temple Road, Vennala P.O, Palarivattom – 682 028, Kochi, Kerala, India. Email: ardsicochin@gmail.com Ph: +91 484 2808088, Helplines: +91 9846198473/ 98461 98786/ 98461 98471.Detail here http://silverinnings.blogspot.com/2009/09/national-photography-competitions-on.html

National Essay Competition on Dementia 2009 - Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India announces National Essay Competition. Theme is : Caring For People With Dementia .This competition is for Medical,Nursing and MSW /BSW Students.The competition is open from 1st September 2009 to 31st October 2009.Contact: The Project Officer, ARDSI, Madavana Temple Road, Vennala P.O, Palarivattom – 682 028, Kochi, Kerala, India. Email: ardsicochin@gmail.com Ph: +91 484 2808088, Helplines: +91 9846198473/ 98461 98786/ 98461 98471. Detail here http://silverinnings.blogspot.com/2009/09/national-essay-competition-on-dementia.html


Global Alzheimer's Disease Charter - Sign the Petition at http://www.globalcharter.org/



Mumbai programme detail:

Friday 18th Sep – Gerontology Seminar 'Lets Add Quality Life to Their Years' for Nursing Studens organised by L.T.College of Nursing ,S.N.D.T Women's University and supported by Silver Inning Foundation at S.N.D.T College,Churgate,Mumbai.This is part of two full day seminar from 17th Sep to 18th Sep 2009 from 8am to 4.30pm

Mass Mialers to 5 Lakh coporates and professionals by Eisai

Sat 19th Sep - Street Play as Sensitizing Programme at OPD ,Nair Hospital,Mumbai Central from 10am to 12 noon. Also Street Play at Churchgate Railway Station (Tentative)

Sun 20th Sep - Talk on World Alzheimer's Day on Radio Mirchi FM channel 98.3

Mon 21st Sep – Launch of Special Service for Dementia in Mumbai by Silver Inning Foundation

GYAN VANI (FM Channel 105.6 ) Talk by Sailesh Mishra on World Alzheimer's Day


Tue 22th Sep – Talk on Alzheimer's by Dr.Shirin Barodawala at Sharan - Old Age Home,Vashi,New Mumbai

Screening of WHO Film Living with Alzheimer's and interactive talk by Sailesh Mishra ,Founder ,Silver Inning Foundation and ARDSI Greater Mumbai at Nalanda – The World Wisdom Centre,an initiative of Times Foundation ,Bennett,Coleman & Co.Ltd,The Times of India Bldg,Dr,D.N.Road,Opp CST station,Mumbai – 400 001 .Time 4pm to 6pm.This film is of 34 minutes.


Wed 23rd Sep - Talk on Alzheimer's and Memory Screening camp by Dr.Dhananjay Gambhire at Senior Citizens Association,Royal College,Mira Road at 4.30 pm

Thu 24th Sep - Interactive Talk on 'Understanding Dementia & Alzheimer's' by Sailesh Mishra ,Founder ,Silver Inning Foundation and ARDSI Greater Mumbai at Nalanda – The World Wisdom Centre,an initiative of Times Foundation ,31-B, 3rd Floor,Above Elco Arcade,Hill Road,Bandra (West),Mumbai – 400 050.Time 4pm to 6pm

Sat 26th Sep Screening of WHO Film Living with Alzheimer's and interactive talk by Sailesh Mishra ,Founder ,Silver Inning Foundation and ARDSI Greater Mumbai during Hub Taster week at The Hub,UnLtd India, 4th Floor, Candelar Building, 26 St. John Baptist Road, Near Mount Mary Steps, Bandra (W), Mumbai 400 050, India.

Sat 26th Sep - Talk on Alzheimer's by Dr.Shirin Barodawala at Dr.Sarla Azad Nursing Home for Elderly,Khar West

Street Play as Sensitizing Programme at Andheri Railway Station (Tentative)



This programme is organized by Alzheimer's & Related Disorder Society of India (ARDSI)– Greater Mumbai and Mumbai Chapter in association with Silver Inning Foundation,Department of Psychiatry,Niar Hospital;Nalanda center - Times Foundation,Eisai ,FESCOM and AISCCON.


Contact:
Sailesh Mishra
Founder President, Silver Inning Foundation
Founder ARDSI Greater Mumbai Chapter
Mobile: 09819819145
Email: sailesh2000@gamil.com , info@silverinnings.com

National Photography Competitions on Dementia 2009 India

Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India, the national organization dedicated for the care of people with dementia and their carers, announce National Photographic award on Dementia – 2009 on the eve of National Dementia Awareness programme, in association with Alzheimer’s Disease International. The theme of the competition is “Active Life with Dementia”. We heartily welcome everyone to participate in this National competition meant for the promotion of Dementia Care in India.


About Dementia:
Dementia is a term used to describe different brain disorders that affect memory, thinking, behavour and emotion. The disease knows no social, economic, or ethnic boundaries. Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia. Other causes include vascular disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and fronto-temporal dementia.

More than 3 million people in India are estimated to have dementia. The Number of people affected is set to rise to over 6 million by 2050. Dementia is surrounded by myth and stigma and in many parts of the country. It is thought to be a normal part of aging. Many people believe that if your have dementia, nothing can be done about it. While there is no cure for most causes of dementia at present, there is great deal of advice, support and information available from Alzheimer’s associations like Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India.



This competition is an opportunity for you all to show your concern for those who are suffering from this mind crippling illness and an opportunity to be part of a global dementia movement to improve the lives of people with dementia and their families. The focus of the competition is highlighting the ability of people with dementia to continue to live a physically and/ or mentally active life after diagnosis. The winners of the competition shall be awarded the National Photographic Award on Dementia 2009 in the presence of Many National and International luminaries at the inaugural session of the 15th Annual National Conference of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India in Hyatt Regency Kolkata on 4th December 2009.



The Monetary Prize Awards for the National Photography competition is as follows:

Amature
First place Receive Rs. 10000/-
Second Place receive Rs. 5000/-
Third place receive Rs. 3000/-


Professional
First place Receive Rs. 15000/-
Second Place receives Rs. 8000/-
Third place receives Rs. 5000/-


All These selected entries will be recommended and forwarded to Alzheimer’s Disease International Silver Jubilee Photography competition 2009.



Terms and Conditions :
The competition is open from 1st September 2009 to 5th November 2009No registration fee is applicable
Any professional or armature photographer of ages 18 and above, who has submitted a completed entry form in prescribed format on or before Nov.5th 2009 are eligible to contest.
One can submit a maximum of three entries in the armature category and a maximum of three entries in the professional category.
If more than one image is submitted from the same photographer they must be entered into the same category, either armature or professional.
Printed images in color or black and white, should be between 12X9 cm(5x7”) and 18x24cm (7x9”) will be accepted along with its digital image on a CD.


The focus of the competition is highlighting the ability of people with dementia to continue to live a physically and/ or mentally active life after diagnosis.

All photographs are non-returnable so please make copies before you send them Clearly write the photographer’s name and category entered on the back of all prints with the signature.

Copy right of images will remain with the photographer but ARDSI will be entitled to use any submitted images for all their purposes including, but not limited, to production of brochures, promotion of future contests, public relations, advertising, books, and exhibitions to promote the objectives of the organization in any media worldwide.

All entries must applied in a prescribed format (Form-A and Form-B) attached with it.
All entries must be attached with the consent of the people featured in the photographs. If the photograph depicts a person with Dementia who is unable to give the consent themselves, this must me obtained from the carer.


There will be three prizes awarded in each category. The prizes will be awarded to the Individual photographer and may collected in person at the 15th Annual National Conference of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India going to be held at Kolkata on Dec. 4th to 6th, 2009. The winners will be provided the up and down - three tire train fare to receive the Prize.


Cropped photos are eligible. We do not accept digitally or otherwise enhanced or altered photos. Minor adjustments including spotting, dodging and burning, contest and slight color adjustments or the digital equivalents, are acceptable. If our judges see that a photographer has obviously altered his or her photo, they reserve the right to disqualify the entry.

The competition will be judged by the panel of professionals appointed by the ARDSI. Result will be published on 15th November 2009. The Result will be intimated to the winners by email or over telephone and will be published in our website.

The first three entries on both categories will be recommended to the Alzheimer’s Disease International Silver Jubilee Photography Competition 2009.

The Monetary Prize Awards for the National Photography competition is On Armature category the first prize shall receive Rs. 10000/-, Second prize shall receive Rs. 5000/- and the Third prize shall receive Rs. 3000/- along with the certificate of appreciation.

The Monetary Prize Awards for the National Photography competition is On Professional category the first prize shall receive Rs. 15000/-, Second prize shall receive Rs. 8000/- and the Third prize shall receive Rs. 5000/- along with the certificate of appreciation


By entering this contest, entrants agree to be bound by these contest Rules. Entrants further agree to be bound by the decisions of the ARDSI National Office, which shall be final and binding in all respects.

The Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India reserves the right to amend or terminate all or any portion of this Contest at any time for any reason without prior notice. Decision of the National Office of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India will be final.


Photographs (along with a soft copy on a CD) should reach to The Project Officer, ARDSI, Madavana Temple Road, Vennala P.O, Palarivattom – 682 028, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Email: ardsicochin@gmail.com
Ph: +91 484 2808088,
Helplines: +91 9846198473/ 98461 98786/ 98461 98471