THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : A project named ‘Ormathoni’, aimed at making the state dementia-friendly will be rolled out across the state on February 15. Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life.
“The project will be implemented by the Kerala State Social Security Mission in association with other government departments, local bodies and Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS). It aims to identify all people in the state who suffer from dementia and provide them service of caregivers and healthcare professionals, Social Justice Minister R Bindu told reporters here on Wednesday.
As per official estimates, people above the age of 65 years constitute 12.6% of the state’s population and a considerable number of senior citizens suffer from varying degrees of dementia. As part of the implementation of the project, doctors and staff associated with the ‘Vayomithram’ project, which provides free medicines and services to the elderly, will be given training in dementia from February 2. They will be trained by a resource group comprising experts from KUHS.
The training for Asha workers in local bodies will begin from February 15. Various materials on how to handle dementia will be handed over to those affected, their caretakers and social workers. The government had earlier given administrative sanction for Rs 92 lakh for implementing the project this year.
The activities over the coming months include screening for dementia at 91 Vayomithram units across the state, setting up memory clinics and providing medicines to the needy. “The project will become full fledged across the state by April. Infrastructure facilities will be provided for two local bodies that have come forward to set up day care centres for dementia patients,” the minister said. Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat and Ollukkara block panchayat in Thrissur are the two local bodies that have evinced interest, she added.
Project launch at vazhuthacaud
The state-wide inauguration of ‘Ormathoni’ will be held at Government College for Women, Vazhuthacaud, on February 15. Elderly people who access Vayomithram clinics in Thiruvananthapuram district will be screened for dementia on the inaugural day.