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.Addressing reporters on Monday, PAGE president Dr CV Raghuveer said the launch, themed ‘Please Be There – To Care’, will be held at Kadri Park from 7am to 10.30am.The campaign carries the message, ‘The Earlier You Know – The More You Can Do – Early Dementia Diagnosis Matters’, and aims to promote early identification and support for people living with dementia, he said.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.PAGE secretary Jeradin Dsouza said dementia should not be considered a normal part of ageing. 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.At the Sept 1 launch, Yenepoya Medical College will offer free memory, blood pressure, blood sugar and hearing-impairment screening at Kadri Park from 7.30am to 10am.A panel discussion will feature Dr Prabha Adhikari, Dr Anil Kakunje, Dr Akshatha Rao and Dr Mufida Munawar.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.Online testing will be offered through the Dementia India Alliance’s DemConnect platform.PAGE will also organise competitions including group singing, group dance, story writing, poetry, skit and video interview with a super senior for senior citizens and schoolchildren. Senior competitions will be held at Rotary Club Mangalore North on Sept 21 from 2pm to 6pm.Dementia caregivers will also be recognised, followed by a grand finale at Town Hall.
