Mangaluru : The People’s Association for Geriatric Empowerment (PAGE) will launch World Alzheimer’s Month in Mangaluru on Tuesday with awareness programmes, free memory screening, health checks and competitions for senior citizens and schoolchildren.
Raghuveer said more than 55 million people worldwide live with dementia, with one person developing the condition every three seconds, and India has nearly 8.8 million people living with dementia, of whom more than 90% remain undiagnosed and untreated. He urged senior citizens and people with diabetes or hypertension to undergo a 15-minute memory test, preferably annually, to establish a baseline and assess their risk.
PAGE secretary Jeradin Dsouza said dementia should not be considered a normal part of ageing.
Free memory tests will also be available at the psychiatry department of KMC Hospital, Attavar, AJ Institute of Medical Sciences Memory Clinic from Sept 12, Spoorthi Charitable Trust every Friday from 3.30pm to 4.30pm, and Yenepoya Specialty Hospital on Sept 15.