Click to play videoNew Delhi: To age gracefully is probably what every one desires. However, old age diseases are constantly on the rise including the dreaded Alzheimer’s.
“What is death? It is the dispersing of the units. What it Alzheimer’s? It is a dispersing and weakening of the brain cells,” says actor Zohra Sehgal.
Sehgal saw her older sister grapple with Alzheimer's in her twilight years.
“Uzra was living in Lucknow. When Gen Samir Khan, her son came to visit her she would say, ’Accha yeh kaun hai?’ Can you imagine the pain in a son’s heart when his own mother doesn’t recognise him,” Sehgal says,
There are about three million people suffering from Alzheimer's in India.
Alzhiemer’s is a disease that robs the ageing of their memories.
Once a pilot and a doctor, 81-year-old Dr A K Som is scared to leave his home because he loses his way and forgets where he is going.
He was once a big fan of K L Saigal but he cannot sing along with Saigal’s lyrics that elude him.
Alzheimer's is an ageing brain disorder that usually begins after 60. It eats away the victim’s memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out everyday activities.
It becomes very difficult for the Alzheimer’s patients to get care.
The Alzheimer's society of India however, is struggling to help people like Som.
“Hopefully we can have a day care center because people cry on the telephone and say, ’Take our father even for five hours during the day so that we can go to work.” president, ARDSI Delhi Chapter, Nirmala M Narula says.
The society has been clamouring for the Government's attention but they are yet to get any answer.
With no treatment and very little support it looks like it is yet a long and tough road ahead in front of not just the patients but their family members as well.
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