Bengaluru: At the heart of Bengaluru, Shantinagar is set to become a dementia-friendly constituency, with MLA NA Haris joining hands with Dementia India Alliance (DIA) and Nimhans for a two-year initiative aimed at making the constituency more inclusive and supportive of older people and those living with dementia.
The initiative was announced on Sept 21 to mark World Alzheimer’s Day.
Over the next two years, I hope we can bring together our communities, healthcare professionals and local organisations to make a meaningful difference,” Haris said. “This initiative brings Karnataka’s state-level commitment to dementia down to the ward level,” he added. Haris said the programme would also involve young people, including student volunteers, who would be trained to recognise early signs of dementia and support elderly residents. Ramani Sundaram, executive director, Dementia India Alliance, said the initiative seeks to demonstrate how local leadership, community participation and technical expertise can come together to create more dementia-inclusive communities. It is about creating an environment where people living with dementia remain visible, included and supported, and where families know where to turn for help,” she said.
It will focus on raising awareness about dementia, promoting early recognition and referral, and training frontline workers and community stakeholders. It will also seek to support family caregivers and promote dementia-friendly practices in public and community spaces. “Dementia affects not only the individual but the entire family and community around them. As a constituency, we have a responsibility to ensure that our older citizens are treated with dignity and that families have the awareness and support they need. Resident welfare associations (RWAs), senior citizen groups, healthcare professionals and community organisations will be involved in the programme. It also plans to create a network of local stakeholders to sustain dementia-friendly practices beyond the two-year initiative. CSR partners and the HNI community will also be invited to support initiatives such as providing assistive devices to low-income seniors, upgrading elder-serving facilities and supporting day-care centres. “A dementia-friendly community is about much more than awareness. The learning from Shantinagar could also inform similar community-led initiatives in other parts of Bengaluru and across India, she added. DIA, with its technical and community expertise, will work with local stakeholders and institutions, including Nimhans, to develop a practical and sustainable approach towards making Shantinagar dementia-friendly.