11% elderly population in J&K suffer from Alzheimer’s

SRINAGAR NOV 10: In Jammu and Kashmir, a minimum of 11% of the elderly population is afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease, which is higher than the national level.
According to a study titled: ‘Deep phenotyping and genomic data from a nationally representative study on dementia in India’, at least 11 percent elderly population in J&K is suffering from Alzheimer’s against the national average of 7.7 percent.

Alzheimer’s, a neurodegenerative disease, most common in people over the age of 60, can majorly impact the quality of life of the person affected. The most common form is dementia. Doctors say it affects the brain cells which leads to memory loss, changes in memory, erratic behaviour, and loss of body functions. Patients with Alzheimer’s also suffer problems in concentration and making decisions.
Four years ago, the family of 60-year-old Hamida Bano observed notable shifts in her behaviour, including forgetfulness and difficulty recalling names. Within six months, a drastic change occurred as she couldn’t recognize her own family members.
In response to this alarming development, her distressed family promptly sought medical attention, leading to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. “Over time, subtle alterations in her personality intensified, marked by escalating long-term memory loss, impaired reasoning, disorientation, confusion, and diminished emotional control. Subsequently, she has been under medication since the diagnosis,” one of her family members said.
Experts note that common traits in the elderly, such as forgetting important dates or events, losing track of time and place, difficulty reading, and the inability to recognize relatives and friends, are indicative signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Dr Fazil Ahmad explains that Alzheimer’s leads to brain shrinkage and the death of brain cells. Describing it as a chronic and irreversible condition, he emphasizes its impact on progressive memory loss, impaired thinking, disorientation, and changes in personality and mood.
The doctors emphasized the crucial role of early intervention in Alzheimer’s disease, stating that raising awareness is imperative at this time.