Low dementia awareness among senior citizens in rural areas, finds study by Pune-based International Longevity Centre-India

Led by Dr R A Mashelkar, former director-general Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the International Longevity Centre-India is a not-for-profit NGO that works for senior citizens, with the aim of keeping them active and healthy. In May this year, ILC-I initiated a research study in the Ratnagiri district of the Konkan region.

The study was conceptualised by Anjali Raje, Executive Director, ILC-I and Jayant Umranikar, Chairperson of the Centre, and based on these inputs, a screening program of community-based senior citizens (60 years and above) was conducted to assess their cognition.

A total of 101 senior citizens from three Senior Citizens’ Organisations in Khed (Taluka Chiplun), Savarde (Taluka Chiplun) and Ratnagiri city participated in the research study. Of these, 60.4 per cent were men and 39.6 women, with an average age of 70.7 years.

“We collected information on their daily routines, whether they engage in brain-stimulating activities such as puzzles/online games/ playing chess/cards… were asked to understand the degree of isolation and depressive symptoms they were facing,” Yaashodaa Padhye, Research and Development Officer, ILC-I told The Indian Express, adding that awareness of dementia was limited, with only 40.6 per cent (41 participants) familiar with the term dementia/smrutibhransh.

At least 70 per cent scored low in verbal fluency and delayed recall tasks, indicating difficulties in word retrieval and semantic memory. Among them, just 16 could identify potential causes, which included overthinking, brain ageing, injury, mental inactivity, and emptiness.

“Findings suggest low levels of social isolation, depression and challenges in the consolidation and retrieval of information, impacting cognitive health,” Padhye explained. She further observed that only 14 per cent of the total population was involved in playing chess, carrom, and cards, and almost all of them were older men.

The majority (85 per cent) of older adults preferred watching television, reading newspapers, and using mobile phones as their leisure-time activities, Padhye said, adding that their study showed that there is a need for increased awareness of neurocognitive disorders such as dementia within community-based older populations.

Prajakta Wadhavkar, Founder, Tapas Elder Care, when contacted, told The Indian Express that the study was important as it was essential to highlight cognitive screening as an important step in prevention efforts. “Dementia is irreversible, and we are collecting case studies at the research centre to strengthen prevention efforts,” Wadhavkar said, noting a rise in cases.

According to estimates, there are 8.8 million Indians aged 60 and above who are affected by dementia. “Awareness is still very low, so we conduct sensitisation programs in schools and colleges to help youngsters understand why it is important to show social responsibility and care towards their grandparents,” she added.