A one day
dementia workshop was organised by the Neurosciences
India Group on the 18th of December in collaboration
with the Indian Medical Association-Chennai
South. The invocation address was delivered
by the President IMA of this chapter. Prof.E.S.Krishnamoorthy
gave a comprehensive lecture on the clinical
syndromes and diagnosis of dementia. Though
largely considered to be a psychiatric ailment,
demented people can often be picked up on
routine clinical rounds. Dr.V. Rama Rau,
IMA south shared his experience in problems
associated with diagnosing and the lacunae
that exist in managing such patients both
from a clinician's and a caregiver's perspective.
Prof.C.V.Krishnaswami, VHS Medical Centre
delivered his talk on the physician's role
in managing dementia. Prof.Murali Duraiswamy,
Duke University gave an inspiring talk on
the development of neuroimaging and pharmacology
in the diagnosis of dementia. These lectures
provided the Indian audience deeper insight
into the holistic approach to the management
of dementia.
Mr. Vivian
Issac, VHS Medical Centre highlighted the
issues on Government policies, advocacy
and the role of society in taking care of
demented people. The audiences were taken
into further depths of medicolegal aspects
involved in handling dementia by Ms.Dharma
Raman, advocate. A ready to use dementia
care algorithm jointly devised by Mr.A.T.Jotheeshwaran,
Dr.N.Subbulakshmy and, Prof.ES.Krishnamoorthy,
to serve in the early diagnosis of dementia
was exhibited for viewing.
The programme
concluded with the second Shri.Soundarajan
endowment lecture delivered by Dr.Jacob
Roy, chairman, Alzheimer's Disease &
Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI).He
shared his experience and visionary on integral
approach in dementia care which is the need
of the hour. The boon of longevity of the
Indian population must bring with it the
inevitable bane of neurodegenerative disorders
and other health problems of the elderly.
