Media Release
Udupi, Sep 27: Rotary Club Manipal, the department of occupational therapy and the Centre for Studies on Healthy Aging (CSHA), Manipal College of Health Professions (MCHP), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal celebrated World Alzheimer's Day on September 21 and International Day of older persons on October 1 in a unique and meaningful way by organizing a caregivers and seniors day out on September 25. The programme was conducted in a serene and scenic venue at Mattu beach, Udupi.
On behalf of Dr G Arun Maiya, dean, MCHP, MAHE, Manipal, Dr Sebestina Anita D’Souza, professor and in charge - aging and memory unit, department of occupational therapy and coordinator of the CSHA, MCHP, MAHE welcomed the participants and explained the theme of the programme, ‘Sharing and Caring’.
She explained that dementia is a progressive debilitating neurological condition that affects 10% of the population. Dementia affects not just the patient but the entire family who experience high caregiving burden. The stigma associated with dementia also adds to the burden. Dr Sebestina described the purpose of organizing the programme with emphasis on the importance of supporting family members, the silent and unsung heroesof dementia care. She also highlighted the contribution of senior citizens to society and the importance of healthy aging initiatives.
Rotarian Shashikala Rajavarma, president, Rotary Club Manipal, the chief guest of the programme, reiterated the commitment of her organization to increasing awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, early identification and management and support for caregivers. She also emphasized the importance of specialized training for healthcare professionals working with older adults. She was joined by Rotarian Vanishree Rao, secretary, Rotary Club Manipal and Rotarian Rajavarma Ariga, chairman, district programmes.
Representatives from the participants also graced the inaugural program including Srinivas Tonse, a senior citizen, retired public servant and journalist and Kiran who is caring for his mother with dementia.
Caregivers from distant places like Agumbe and Puttur participated in the programme, in addition to those from Udupi. The programme facilitators were Dr Vinita Acharya, additional professor and Sadichha Kamat, assistant professor, department of occupational therapy. Caregivers expressed the nature and severity of the physical and mental strain they go through especially when handling the behavioral problems of the person with dementia.
The programme included interactive sessions on stress management, self-care, and coping strategies including sharing their concerns, taking help from other family members, using rehabilitative interventions, making time for self, and support groups. The participants expressed the need for such programmes on a regular basis. The caregiver sessions concluded with the announcement of commencing online support group for dementia caregivers.
The seniors included people with dementia who participated in team games with their student buddies from the undergraduate program of occupational therapy. Nilakshi Shirodkar, assistant professor and Kshama Bangera, PhD Scholar at the department of occupational therapy facilitated the seniors’ events with sensorimotor activities such as dance for physical health, creative arts like drama, singing and dance for psychosocial health, culturally meaningful activities like making torans and cognitive activities like solving puzzles for brain health. The activities emphasized intergenerational interaction and sharing with seniors sharing their life experiences and students explaining use of mobile apps. The programme concluded with participants sharing their experiences and the need for such programs on a regular basis.