Missing Senior Citizens - NCRB Report 2017

Shocking Report of Missing Senior Citizens by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2017, released in Oct 2019 . 

There has been growing incident of Senior Citizens Missing in last many years, Seniors either leave their home on their own, they get lost in crowded or unfamiliar places or get lost due to Dementia /  Alzheimer - in this case they forget / unable to recall their names, relatives, address etc.

Its extremely difficult to trace Missing Senior Citizens due to lack of proper tracking system and also due to apathy from all stakeholders. 

Organisation like Silver Innings - through their Facebook page and Blog 'Missing Senior Citizens Alert' and 'WhatsApp group' and HelpAge India are doing remarkable work in Finding Missing Senior Citizens, government effort is very less, government effort in missing children and women is more. 

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2017 Missing report as per TABLE 15.3, Missing and Traced Persons (Gender & Age-wise) - 2017, highlights the concern.

It is found that Male Senior Citizens are more in numbers in list of getting Missing then Female Senior Citizens, but tracing Female Senior Citizens percentage is higher then Male.  

We need to protect our Elders getting lost and also need to device national tracking program. Families also need to take extra care and Police needs to be sensitized. 

Following are details of above report by Government agency - NCRB 2017.

Total Senior Citizens Missing (60plus) 
Un recovered Persons of Previous years - 20272
Persons Missing during 2017 - 12805
Total Missing -  33077

Persons Traced : 
from Previous years Missing -  6392
from Missing Persons - 2017 - 7028
Total Traced -  13420
% of Persons Traced - 40.6


Person Untraced : 
from Previous years Missing - 13880
from Missing Persons - 2017 - 5777
Total unTraced  - 19657
% of Persons unTraced - 59.4




60 Yrs & Above - (Male Sr. Citizen) 
Un recovered Persons of Previous years - 13,893
Persons Missing during 2017 - 8802
Total Missing - 22,695 

Male Senior Citizen Traced: 
from Previous years Missing - 4302
from Missing Persons - 2017 - 4689
Total Traced - 8991 
% of Persons Traced - 39.6

Male Senior Citizen Untraced 
from Previous years Missing - 9591
from Missing Persons - 2017 - 4113
Total unTraced  - 13704
% of Persons unTraced - 60.4




60 Yrs & Above (Female Sr. Citizen)

Un recovered Persons of Previous years - 6379
Persons Missing during 2017 - 3985
Total Missing -  10364

Female Senior Citizen Traced: 
from Previous years Missing - 2090
from Missing Persons - 2017 - 2326
Total Traced -  4416
% of Persons Traced - 42.6


Female Senior Citizen Untraced :
from Previous years Missing - 4289
from Missing Persons - 2017 - 1659
Total unTraced  - 5948
% of Persons unTraced - 57.4



This Report is made by SILVER INNING FOUNDATION - 26th Oct 2019

India’s First International ‘Spark Of Life Master Practitioners’ in Dementia Care

Two Indians last week of May 2017 were conferred the renowned ‘Spark of Life’ International Master Practitioner in Dementia Care International at Perth, Australia. Social Entrepreneur and a renowned Social Activist working for the welfare of Senior Citizens and People with Dementia, Sailesh Mishra, Founder President Silver Innings Group, has now become an International Spark of Life Master Practitioner in Dementia Care. Along with him Ms. Nilanjana Maulik (National Coordinator Working Group ARDSI) also becomes among the first Indians to become a ‘Spark of Life’ International Master Practitioner.

The Spark of Life Philosophy offers a practical and sustainable way of enriching the lives of people with dementia, their families and carers and transforming the culture of care. The focus is on How to connect, How to communicate and How to care.

The philosophy is about the quality of the connection between the carer and the person with dementia and aims at fostering kindness, compassion, empathy, respect and an attitude of unconditional love in the interactions between families or care staff and clients,’ Mishra explains.

Implementing the Spark of Life Philosophy into an organizational culture has been proven to enrich the lives of people with dementia enabling them to experience improvements in mental abilities, language, self-esteem, social interactions and emotional well-being.

‘The Spark of Life International Master Course, its magnificent holistic philosophy for Dementia Care, has not only enriched me but also empowered me about dementia care and to be better human being’, Mishra said on his return.



Incidentally, after 15 years of working in the corporate world in marketing Sailesh Mishra made a complete shift to dedicating his life to creating an Elder Friendly World where Ageing becomes a Positive and Rewarding Experience and in April 2008 Sailesh founded his organization Silver Innings to achieve just that. For his selfless in Ageing, he has been awarded Karmaveer Puraskaar National award. He has been part of National and State level prominent TV Talk show on Ageing and Dementia, he was also twice part of International Radio talk show on Dementia.

Mishra has been to Malta twice on scholarship for UN INIA 15 day’s course on Social Gerontology and International Policy and Participated in Prestigious UN OEWG on Ageing at New York. In Aug 2013 Sailesh set up Mumbai City’s first 24 x 7 Dedicated Assisted Living Elder Care Home ‘A1 Snehanjali’ in Nalasopara West and in 2016 the second home ‘A1 Snehanjali’ in Virar.

Similarly, Nilanjana Maulik has won many an accolade. She is Secretary of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) Kolkata Chapter & National Coordinator, Working Group ARDSI. She has done her Master’s Degree, Dementia Studies from The University of Stirling, and Successful Aging & End of Life Care from Stanford University School of Medicine Mini Fellowship, she is also Board Member of Commonwealth Association of Aging.



Maulik since 1999 is involved with ARDSI and is instrumental in starting Kolkata city’s first Dementia Daycare center and also runs counseling, care support, memory clinic, training for home carers, home visit, day care for dementia person, etc, and helpline. She is a strong advocate of rights and care of a person with dementia. She is also a National Award Winner and has been honoured with the ‘ARDSI: BEST DEMENTIA CARE WORKER, 2006’.

Courtesy : https://www.indiapages.in/spark-of-life-master-practitioners-dementia-care-11502.html

World Alzheimer's Month Mumbai Sep 2016 Events

Silver Inning Foundation in association with Sophia college, Pushpama Foundation, Eisai pharma, Nirmala Niketan college of social work, L. S Raheja college, SVT college (SNDT), Nana Nani Foundation, Helpage India, Treatum, Sneha kala kendra, Money life Foundation, PrideAge, Silver innings Helpline, Silver innings FC, Purple Angel, Palliative care dept. Bhaktivedant hospital, Mind consultant, Elders camp, 1298 Senior Citizens Helpline and A1 Snehanjali Invite you for 5th International World Alzheimer's month programme.

September 2016 is the Fifth global World Alzheimer’s Month™, an international campaign to raise awareness and challenge stigma.

The theme for World Alzheimer's Month 2016 is Remember Me. We're encouraging people all around the world to learn to spot the signs of dementia, but also not to forget about loved ones who are living with dementia, or those who may have passed away. 

The impact of September’s campaign is growing, but the stigmatisation and misinformation that surrounds dementia remains a global problem.

This events are FREE and Open for Family members, Students, Counselors, Medical and Social Work Professionals, Person suffering with Dementia / Alzheimer's, Senior Citizens & Interested individuals, with Prior Registration ONLY. 

Tentative Schedule

SIFC, Silver Innings FC Football Team of youth have dedicated this Year 2016-17 for World Alzheimer's Month for MDFA Tournament 

Fri 2nd Sep: Awareness Talk for Staff, Volunteers, Health Forum Members of Palliative Care Dept at Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mira Road. Time 11am to 1pm. Only for Invitees. RSVP Mr. Prashob 9619909901

Wed 14th  Sep :  A Special Awareness Program for the Senior Citizens & Their Family Members from 4 pm to 7 pm at Auditorium, Bhaktivedanta Hospital & Research Institute, Mira Road, in collaboration with Department of Spiritual Care. RSVP Mr. Yateen Sawant 022- 30052577 / 9969617221

Wed 21st Sep : Walkathon - Memory Walk at Dada Dadi Park, Veer Sawarkar Udyan, L .T. Road, Pushpa Ma Foundation, Borivali west - 5pm to 7pm.  OPEN FOR PUBLIC RSVP Mr. Jimmy Dordi 9321020723 and Silver Innings  9987104233 / 9029000091 

Wed 21st Sep: Talk on ‘Missing Persons: what can you do when someone you know goes missing’ at Money Life Foundation. Registration: 4:30pm. Session Time: 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Venue: Eknath Thakur Hall, 1st floor, at Saraswat Bank Head Office, Appasaheb Marathe Marg, Prabhadevi, Dadar, Mumbai 400 025.  OPEN FOR PUBLIC RSVP: Shilpa at 022-49205000 or Email foundation@moneylife.in 

Thu 22nd Sep: Awareness Talk for Students at L.S. RAHEJA College, Juhu west. 9am to 10.30am  Only for Invitees

Fri 23rd Sep: Talk on Ageing and Dementia to Senior Citizen Students at 2pm to 5pm at Extension Centre, College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan, Goregaon East. Only for Invitees 

Wed 28th Sep: Awareness Talk for Students at Sophia college. 1.30pm to 3.30 pm Only for Invitees 

Fri 30th Sep: 'Bheja Fry', Because You Can Not Afford To Forget" a SIMPLE Memory Enhancement Technique at SVT college, Juhu  at 2pm to 4pm. OPEN FOR PUBLIC RSVP Silver Innings  9987104233 / 9029000091    

For more information you can call: 9987104233 / 9029000091 / 9323919145 ( Mon to Fri - 11am to 5pm) or Email us at silverinnings@gmail.com  

Please Note the event, date and time are subject to change.

#RememberME

#WAM2016

#WRAD2017 

Elder Care Home in MUMBAI

A1 Snehanjali, Assisted Living Elder Care Home: “Transforming lives to mitigate loneliness, helplessness, and boredom”

 “A1 Snehanjali”, an initiative started by Silver Innings  on 17^th Aug 2013, is one of its kind first dedicated 24 x 7 assisted living facility in a care-home for seniors in Mumbai, who do not need constant medical intervention or nursing home care. The care-home is located at historic town of Nalasopara (West Rly), which is about 50 km from Mumbai in western suburbs. The well known coastal beaches like Kalamb, Rajodi, Arnala and Suruchi Wadi are within 2 to 4 kms radius. Historical Buddhist caves, Ancient Church, Agashi Jain Temple, Shani Dev Temple, Vasai Fort are other famous places to visit within the proximity of the care-home. It is accessible from Nalasopara, as well as from Vasai and Virar. Sanjeevani Hospital, Cardinal Gracious Hospital, Alliance and Riddhi Siddhi Hospital are within accessible distance for any medical emergency.

Silver Innings is an internationally acclaimed Social Enterprise working with Senior Citizens since 2008. Since then it has committed to ensure that ageing gracefully becomes positive and rewarding experience for all seniors.

At A1 Snehanjali our mission is to help elders and their family members to overcome the challenges of ageing and show them the way to transform lives to mitigate loneliness, helplessness and boredom and live with dignity in their silver years.

Our 'A1 Snehanjali' project offers our residents both personalized and group programs and services that focus on stimulating mind, body and soul. In our 24 x7 assisted living elder care homes, every person gets relationship-based individualized care. Our facilities are not typical old-age homes or nursing home. Instead, we implement the international, contemporary concept of person-centric care, an area where we are pioneers in Mumbai. Our management and staff know and respect each resident as an individual. We know their life stories, their strengths, concerns and challenges, needs, preferences, and expectations. We form meaningful relationships with the residents and their family members and provide elders, including elders with dementia, an environment where they can lead satisfying lives in spite of their constraints.

It is around three years now that we started our first unit of A1 Snehanhali - D’silva Nagar in Aug 2013. This is a fabulous five bedroom bungalow with a garden, a cozy home with a capacity to host ten seniors and is located at D’silva Nagar, Nalasopara West, on the outskirts of Mumbai. It is situated in middle of residential locality and is easily accessible. 

'A1 SNEHANJALI’, the assisted living project promoted by Silver Innings, is happy to announce opening a second assisted living unit at Rajodi Beach on 1st June, 2016. Through this, we continue to move forward towards our goal to transform lives of elders by providing person-centric care and eliminating loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. Our new unit will create more spaces where elders lead fulfilling lives based on their capacity and desires and continue to be an integral part of society.

It has been a journey full of love and learning, and we have obtained an even deeper appreciation of the great need for offering such places to families that need such facilities but have nowhere to go. Our new unit, just ten minutes away from our first unit, will increase our overall of A1 Snehanjali capacity to 22 residents.

Our second unit, A1 SNEHANJALI – Rajodi, is a lush green, spacious facility very close to the Rajodi beach. The ample space and enriching surrounding provides a relaxed residential space to elders where we will support them using individualized care based on their medical situations. In addition to long-term stay options, we will also have short-term stay ‘Respite’ for elders who need personal care while their family members need time away for work or respite. One guest room will be available for family members who need to stay near their elders for short durations, depending on availability.

Our nurturing and trained professional staff is dedicated to provide all residents with highest level of quality and expert services. Families subscribing to our service will be assured peace of mind; knowing that their loved one is enjoying his/her best days of “Silver Years” at A1 Snehanjali. A therapeutic and secure environment will be provided to the residents along with non-pharmacological interventions if required. 

A1 Snehanjali has created package of integrated amenities that is designed to provide seniors with most of the service required to lead a normal home-like life. It offers both personalized and group programs and services that focus on stimulating mind, body and soul.  We are offering a convenient month-to-month room rental that includes the following:

1.       Comfortable room including basic utilities

2.       Three VEG meals a day (As per nutritional requirement)

3.       Common dining facility (with option for room service if required )

4.       Access to attending staff 24 hours a day

5.       Daily housekeeping and weekly laundry service

6.       Daily activities and exercise programs

7.       Transportation to doctor’s appointments

8.       Medication management, assistance with pill box

9.       Weekly medical checkup

10.   Doctor on call

11.   Grooming and Hygiene

12.   Incontinence care

13.   Bathing & Dressing

General Principles of Caring for Residents at A1 Snehanjali

•          Person Centered Care

•          Dignity & Respect

•          Communication

•          Independence

•          Privacy

•          Safety

Unique Features of A1 Snehanjali:

What is A1 Snehanjali care?

The power of loving touch has proved to have calming effect on seniors and decreases the need for psychiatric medication. Massage along with soothing music, Art base therapies, Gardening and other meaningful activities will be provided to seniors as part of Snehanjali care depending upon need and capability. As part of our HOLISTIC care, we are first t in India to have implemented ‘Rights of Resident’ to give dignity to their silver years.

What is Dementia care?

We have trained our staff at A1 Snehanjali, to provide care for persons challenged with dementia. This involves redirection, engagement, stimulation, simplifying complex tasks and speaking to seniors at slow pace in an appropriate tone. Brain fitness will be promoted using games, puzzles, crosswords etc. The facility has a secured environment that enables persons with dementia to stroll freely in a protected and supervised setting.

What is Assisted Care?

Seniors with difficulty in managing activity of daily living will be provided assistance to perform such daily activity by trained staff and if required will undergo a range of motion exercises daily to prevent contractures and maintain their mobility on paid basis. Staff at A1 Snehanjali will ensure that durable medical equipment such as canes, walkers, wheelchairs are used by the senior to assist with ambulation and prevent falls.

What Social Services will be available?

Silver Innings ^TM is well known for linking seniors with available community resources based on needs. Seniors at “A1 Snehanjali” will be taken on field trips to community events or people from community will visit regularly. They can participate in a variety of activities such as yoga, arts and crafts and Chai Social (Tea chats).

What Nutrition will be provided?

A1 Snehanjali understands the importance of nutrition. It has direct impact on health, socialization and well-being of seniors. A healthy, nutritious, vegetarian, low fats diet, rich in proteins and vitamins etc. as advised by experienced dietician, will be provided to the residents daily to promote healthy ageing.

Overall ambience of the bedrooms is pleasing and tastefully designed to meet the comfort requirement of the seniors. Our both facilities have apart from these bedrooms, will have a separate kitchen to cook only vegetarian food, a living room (only at D’silva nagar), dining hall, activity area for some group activities and office space depending on each facility. Both facility is equipped with amenities including Television, Music system, Activity area, Inverter and Generator for back-up during power failure, Fire extinguisher, walk way, a beautiful garden and CCTV cameras for security.

We at #A1Snehanjali and #SilverInnings hope that our efforts will continue to make the world elder-friendly and make ageing a positive and rewarding experience.

Cost:

Non Refundable and Refundable deposit Plus monthly payment for 2 year, 3 year or 5 year plus living option. Cost does not include Medicine, Diaper’s, Toiletries and Specialized Medical Diagnosis and Treatment.

Inspiration:

The Eden Alternative ®

Founder Members:

Ramakant & Manjula Mishra

Jimmy and Dolly Dordi

                

        

Team Mentors:

*         Dr. Charles Pinto, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry

*         Susan Somers, President INPEA, USA

*         Dr Sanjay Kumawat, MD, Psychiatrist

*         Dr. Radha Murthy, President Nightingales Medical Trust

Project Advisors:

Dr. Devendra Save, MD, Psychiatrist

Dr. Manjoj Hunur, MD, Neurologist

Advocate and Legal Advisor:

Solicitor Rajni Divkar

Hon. Consultants:

*         Dr. Nidhi Mishra, (Ph.D) Gerontologist

*         Prof. Parul Kibliwala, Professor (Nursing), SNDT University

*         Raheen Jummani, Clinical Psychologist

*         Neha Chedda, Dietician

*         Dr. Alka Subramanyam, MD, Psychiatrist

*         Dr. Leena Gangooli, Family Care Physician

*         Dr. Neha Deshpande Kamat (Ph.D) Gerontologist and Trainer 

*         Dhanalaxmi Rao, Gerontologist

International Consultants:

*         Reis Woollen, Geriatric Nurse & Elder Care Educator, California, USA

*         Hendi Lingiah, Psychologist & Aging Service Management Consultancy, France

*         Prof. Denise Burnette, Sociologist, Columbia University, USA

*         Dr. Ritabelle Fernandes, Geriatrician, Hawai, USA

*         Sylvie DuPont, Counsellor in Geriatric care

Networking Partners:

Silver Inning Foundation

ARDSI Greater Mumbai Chapter

OYA (Open Your Arm) 

Neha Nutrifit and Fitness

CNA Architects

PrideAge

Purple Angel

TISS

Nirmala Niketan College of Social Work 

Address:

A1 Snehanjali – D’Silva Nagar 

Address: A1 SNEHANJALI Elder Care Home, Marciana Bungalow, D’silva Nagar, Nala Village, Nalasopara West, (Mumbai W. Rly), Taluka Vasai, Dist. Palghar, Maharashtra. Pin Code – 401203. India 

Center Manager: +91- 93239 19145 / 9987104233

A1 Snehanjali - Rajodi 

Address: A1 SNEHANJALI Elder Care Home, House no. 445, Chaar Rasta, after Satpala, Rajodi Beach Road, Virar / Nalasopara West, Dist. Palghar, Maharashtra. Pin Code – 401301. India

Center Manager:  +91 9860789145 / 93239 19145

Email :  a1snehanjali@gmail.com ;

silverinnings@gmail.com 

Skype: a1snehanjali

Website: http://a1snehanjali.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/A1Snehanjali/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/a1snehanjali

 
 

Silver Innings and A1 Snehanjali are Social Enterprise. 10% of profit earned from this initiative will be spent for funding activities of ‘Silver Inning Foundation’, an NGO dedicated for #SeniorCitizens .

                                                     How can you help?

*Become a member *Promote us on social media *Volunteer / Intern *Partner with us

*Donate in kind & materials *Sponsor events & programmes *Participate in events *Advertise on our website/Blog

Video: Heart Remembers But Mind Forgets #WAM2O15

Video Release by Silver Inning Foundation for World Alzheimer's Month September 2015, ‪#‎WAM2015‬ : 'Heart Remembers But Mind Forgets'  

This Video is part of 1st in series, made by Students of TISS ( Center for Health and Mental Health School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India) for Silver Inning Foundation (NGO Working with ‪#‎SeniorCitizens‬) as part of project for World Alzheimer's Month September 2015, #WAM2015 ‪#‎RememberMe‬ ‪#‎SilverInnings‬

Its small effort through audio visual aids by young students to create awareness about a non curable, progressive brain disease #Alzheimer's / ‪#‎Dementia, which mostly affects elders of 60 years and above. We request you to not only watch this video but also forward and show this to all members of your family and community.

#ARDSI #Mumbai #India #A1Snehanjali #TISS #SeniorCitizens

World Alzheimer's Awareness Month September 2015 Events – Greater Mumbai Programme

Remember Those Who Cant Remember

World Alzheimer's Awareness Month 2015 – Greater Mumbai Programme

Theme for World Alzheimer's Month™ 2015:  Remember Me

On the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Day on 21st Sep 2015 Silver Inning Foundation and ARDSI Greater Mumbai chapter in association with Sophia College, Pushpa Ma Foundation, Eisai Pharma, The Metrognome, TISS, Nirmala Niketan College of Social work, Silver Innings Helpline, Nair Hospital Occupational Therapist(OT)Dept , Bhaktivedanta Palliative Care and ‘A1 Snehanjali’ assisted living elder care home, Invites you for #WAM 2015 International World Alzheimer's Month Programme, to create awareness about Dementia and Alzheimer’s in city of Mumbai and nearby area. 

September 2015 is the fourth global World Alzheimer’s Month™, an international campaign to raise awareness and challenge stigma.

The theme for World Alzheimer's Month 2015 is Remember Me. We're encouraging people all around the world to learn to spot the signs of dementia, but also not to forget about loved ones who are living with dementia, or those who may have passed away.

The impact of September’s campaign is growing, but the stigmatisation and misinformation that surrounds dementia remains a global problem.

This event is FREE and Open for Family members, Students, Counselors, Medical and Social Work Professionals, Person suffering with Dementia / Alzheimer’s, Senior Citizens & Interested individuals, with Prior Registration ONLY.

Tentative schedule: 

Every Week a Awareness Video made by TISS Students will be released on Youtube

Wed 9th Sep : Talk with Students by Ms. Mona at St. Joseph College, Nalasopara west - 9.30am to 10.30am

Fri 11th Sep : Talk by Sailesh Mishra at GERON National conference at Varodara

Mon 14th Sep : Talk for Students by Sailesh Mishra, Sophia College, Warden Road, Mumbai

Mon 14th , Tue 15th and Wed 16th Sep : Memory Camp by Eisai Phrama at Dada Dadi Park, Veer Sawarkar Udyan, L .T. Road, Pushpa Ma Foundation, Borivali west - 5pm to 7pm and 
Talk by Shilpa Chandawarkar (Caregiver)

Today 21st Sep World Alzheimer's Day, Silver Innings FC ‪#‎Youth‬ ‪#‎Football‬ Team Dedicates its Win and Pledges its Support to People Suffering with ‪#‎Alzheimer‬'s ‪#‎Dementia‬ and their Family members. 

Tues 22nd - Walkathon - Memory Walk at Dada Dadi Park, Veer Sawarkar Udyan, L .T. Road, Pushpa Ma Foundation, Borivali west - 5pm to 7pm AND Talk by Shilpa Chandawarkar (Caregiver)

Tues 22nd : Talk with Senior Citizens Resident and Caregivers of A1 Snehanjali , by Dr. Suresh Patil (Psychiatrist) Nalasopara west

24th Sep Thanks to ‪#‎Bollywood‬ Superstar ‪#‎VivekOberoi‬ for supporting World Alzheimer's Month September 2015 Program!
‪

Fri 25th Sep YWCA Elder Women Awareness Event With Fun and Games: 2pm to 4pm at Chacha Nehru Park, Model Town, Near RTO Bus Stop, Andheri West in association with YWCA and Nair Hospital Occupational Therapist(OT)Dept

Sat 26th Sep 2015 Awareness session for Students of Royal College of Science, Arts and Commerce, Mira Road By Dr. Vineeta Sharma and Team of Bhaktivedanta Palliative Care 

Mon 28th Sep “Alzheimer's Awareness For Students” at 10am to 11.30am at St. Joseph Junior College, Nandakal, ‪#‎Nalasopara‬ west By ‪#‎TISS‬ MSW Students

Wed 30th Sep “Alzheimer's Awareness For ‪#‎Seniorcitizens‬ ” at 4.30pm to 5.30pm at Nanbhat Church Senior Citizens Group, Nanbhat Church, ‪#‎Nalasopara‬ west By Mona Mishra and Jenet Faras

For more information you can call –

 9987104233 / 9029000091 / 9323919145 ( Mon to Fri - 11am to 5pm) or

Email us at silverinnings@gmail.com

#RememberMe #India #Mumbai #ARDSI #SilverInnings #Dementia #Alzheimer's #A1Snehanjali 

Please Note the event, date and time are subject to change.

World Alzheimer’s Day: Patients, their families struggle due to lack of facilities

By Riddhi Doshi, Hindustan Times  New Delhi, September 21, 2014 

Every day, Maya Sahadevan has to beg and plead to get her mother into the bathroom for her morning bath. "When she does go in, she just sits there, staring at the ceiling, and often walks out without having had a bath," says Maya, 40, a private tutor in Mumbai.

It may not seem like much, but for Maya, the daily battle over the bath is a sign of further deterioration as her 69-year-old mother slips deeper into her dementia, her personality changing, her memories fading, and simple everyday tasks becoming insurmountable hurdles. 

Maya’s mother was diagnosed with dementia four years ago. "Our first clue that something was wrong was in 2012, when she started saying the same thing again and again," she says. Maya took her to a psychiatrist, where she was diagnosed with dementia. She now spends most of the day sleeping, or staring.

"We stay home with her all the time," says Maya. "It’s hard to juggle housework, my afternoon tutorial classes, and also try and care for her." Lately, the Sahadevans have been looking for help, but it’s been a frustrating search.

Dementia — an umbrella term for a wide range of degenerative mental conditions, the most commonly known being Alzheimer’s — causes long-term loss of the ability to think and reason. Patients need constant supervision, and specialised care. Even in megalopolises like Mumbai and Delhi, such care is almost impossible to find.

"Ideally, a person with dementia should have access to trained caregivers who understand the disease and its patients’ behaviour. This is hard to find in India," says Mona Mishra, a counsellor at dementia care home A1 Snehanjali

In Mumbai, for instance, there is just one day care centre for senior citizens with dementia, run by the Dignity Foundation. And there are just two residencies — A1 Snehanjali in Nallasopara, which can accommodate 13 people, and Dignity Lifestyle, which can accommodate 24. 

Delhi has one day-care centre and one home. "We currently just have four facilities across the country — two in Mumbai, one in Kochi and one in Bangalore. That is far too low," says Mona. "More needs to be done by NGOs and the government, to spread awareness about dementia and provide affordable care infrastructure."

There is little support for the families of those with dementia either.

Alzheimer's: Four signs to watch out for

"We need more awareness camps to help family members understand the disease and learn how to care for their loved ones. The importance of such awareness cannot be overemphasised," says Sailesh Mishra, founder and director of Silver Inning Foundation, an NGO that works with senior citizen and runs the A1 Snehanjali dementia residency home.

"This becomes especially important in a country like ours, where there are not nearly enough residencies and where the cost of those that do exist is also not affordable to all."

At Sea:
According to the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI), nearly 3.7 million people in India suffer from dementia — a number that is set to double every 15 years.  "The disease is not curable, but certain lifestyle modifications like engaging in physical activities and cognitive tasks; eating right; socialising and managing stress can delay onset of the disease," says Dr Manjari Tripathi, president of the Delhi chapter of ARDSI.

Poor awareness and the stigma that still attaches to mental disease adds to the problem, says Alka Subramanyam, assistant professor of psychiatry at Mumbai’s government-run Nair hospital, which runs a memory clinic that offers testing and offers counselling to patients and their families. "We definitely need more care infrastructure. The lack of it accounts to a great loss, either direct or indirect, to caregivers."

With little to no infrastructure available, caregivers suffer almost as much as the patients, says Sailesh. "It is hard enough to cope with the fact that a loved one is no longer in control of themselves. It is even harder to then try and care for that person by yourself, while also juggling the demands of children and earning a livelihood."

Even those lucky enough to find full-time care must find a way to pay for it — an average of Rs. 45,000 a month. A residency charges Rs. 30,000 a month, excluding the cost of medicines. In the absence of a residency slot, a trained caregiver costs Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,000 per eight-hour shift.

"A few Facebook pages are trying to spreading awareness and share information and tips on dealing with dementia in loved ones," adds Mishra. "But it remains a lonely struggle."

The Sahadevans from Mumbai are currently in the midst of that lonely struggle. "We considered leaving my mother at a day care centre for seniors with dementia, but haven’t yet been able to find a slot in the city," says Maya. "We are so confused; we don’t know where to go or what to do and it’s not just taking a toll on us, but also on Ma."

(With inputs from Rhythma Kaul)

Courtesy:  http://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/wellness/world-alzheimer-s-day-lack-of-help-care-in-india-for-patients/article1-1266659.aspx