CHENNAI: With more than five lakh people in Tamil Nadu living with dementia, and 90% believed to be undiagnosed, the state is looking at making the condition a “public health priority”.“Tamil Nadu has a rapidly ageing population. People over 60 make up 16% of the population in 2026, and it is projected to reach 20% in 10 years. The number of people with dementia is projected to double to 10 lakh,” says Ramani Sundaram of Dementia India Alliance (DIA), which recently organised DemCon in Chennai, a conference on the condition.DIA is a national organisation focused on dementia awareness, care, support and brain healthAt DemCon, state health minister K G Arunraj said the govt would work towards a “coordinated state plan”. “The MoU between the department of health and family welfare and DIA is an important step in this direction,” said Arun Raj. “This partnership is an expression of our shared commitment to strengthening dementia care.”The state plan will look at standardising screening, assessment, referral and treatment, as well as making diagnosis, systematic referrals and follow-up part of the existing primary healthcare infrastructure. “It’s important to create awareness as dementia care costs about Rs 3 lakh per person annually, apart from the informal cost of care provided by family members,” says Ramani. “Cognitive impairment cannot be reduced to simply asking an elderly person whether they are becoming forgetful.”An ongoing screening programme conducted since Feb by DIA in collaboration with the state govt among 2,500 elderly people in Coimbatore, Erode and Chengalpet, found 9% had cognitive impairment.Among those screened, 30% reported neurological problems such as slowness, tremors, falls or limb weakness, while 28% had sleep disturbances. About 27% reported feeling sad, irritable, or disinterested in their usual activities, while 18% had trouble with memory, wayfinding or planning. About 12% had difficulty speaking, understanding, naming, reading or writing, and 7% said they heard voices or saw images when alone.About 35% of those screened had hypertension, which, says Ramani, is among the risk factors for dementia. “There was substance abuse in about 15% of those screened, while a large percentage – 42 – chewed tobacco. These are also among the risk factors. Up to 45% of dementia can be prevented if these are addressed. So, this is an important part of the action plan to make Tamil Nadu a dementia-aware state,” says Ramani.
