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

With a rise in cases of dementia, experts stress on cognitive screening.

3 min readPuneUpdated: Dec 4, 2025 05:20 PM IST

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Assessing social isolation and depressive symptoms, the study found that 70 per cent of participants scored poorly on verbal fluency and delayed recall tasks, highlighting significant difficulties in word retrieval and semantic memory. (Credit:unsplash)

A study conducted by the Pune-headquartered International Longevity Centre-India, across villages in Chiplun and Ratnagiri, found limited awareness of dementia (smrutibhransh) among older adults.

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.

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“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.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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