CSR: World Alzheimer’s Day 2018 – How To Reduce Risk Of Dementia

In India, there are about 4 million people who suffer from some form of Dementia. Of them about 1.6 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s making it most common amongst them all. Every year, 21^st September is celebrated as World Alzheimer’s day, in order to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

Some of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s Disease include memory loss, problems with language, difficulty performing familiar tasks, changes in personality and difficulty keeping track of things. However, it is important to note that different people may have different symptoms. And it is rarely passed on from one generation to the other.

There is currently no cure for the disease but certain drugs can slow down its progression. Some of the drugs can reduce the agitation and sleeplessness experienced by some patients.

Other then that, there are certain precautions one can take to reduce the risk of developing the disease. These include:

1. Mental stimulation which includes engaging in activities that stimulates the brain such as puzzles, quizzes or reading.
2. Stress management: Chronical stress can take a toll on the brain, shrink the memory area, and hamper nerve cell growth. In order to combat that, taking up yoga or meditation helps.
3. Regular exercise:30 minutes of exercise a day is a must in order to ensure a heathy mind and body.
4. Social engagement:Meeting people and talking to them often improves mental health. It also helps fight stress and depression which is helpful in reducing the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
5. Healthy diet: Healthy diet solves half of the body and mind problems. And maintaining that is not so difficult. It is the easiest thing one can do to care for themselves.

In India, Milaap, Portea and Hope Ek Asha have joined hands to help set up a specialised day-care centre for people with Alzheimer’s Disease. Hope Ek Asha, an NGO for helping Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers, needs a specialised day-care centre in Delhi for patients in Stage-I and II of Alzheimer’s. This centre aims to keep the patients engaged adding quality and meaning to their lives. The project needs an area of 3,000 square feet and trained staff. Milaap org is running a campaign to raise Rs 4 lakhs for this centre. Contributions of up to Rs. 1 lakh will be matched by Portea, to double the impact of the donations.

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Regards,
The CSR Journal Team

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