Poor awareness affecting early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s

Trichy: As awareness on Alzheimer’s disease is very poor in Trichy, many patients with the condition are taken to the doctors only several years after its onset. Due to this, the treatment does not prove effective. Neurologists in the city say that on an average only three to four out of every 10 patients are taken for early diagnosis and treatment.

Even the reachout programmes to create awareness about the disease is largely muted in Trichy on World Alzheimer’s Day, which was observed on Friday, as not many programmes or drives were organised.

Experts say that lack of awareness or ignorance about the disease is more among the people in rural areas and among nuclear families in urban areas.

Former president of Tamil Nadu Pondicherry Association of Neurologists Dr M A Aleem said that at least 60% Alzheimer’s patients he treats had the onset three to five years prior to diagnosis. Aleem, consultant neurologist at ABC Hospital in Trichy – who treats around 60 Alzheimer’s patients per month – said that family members either don’t recognise or ignore early symptoms.

“One of the common early symptoms is the patient suffering ‘recent memory loss’. For example, he/ she might often forget to switch off fan or television at home or might have other mild memory losses. But most people, especially in the rural areas think that it’s a symptom due to ageing and leave it untreated,” he told TOI.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease (which worsens over time) and that’s why the treatment is suggested to be provided as early as possible. Though there are medications, there’s no treatment for 100% cure. “But if a patient is brought as soon as possible, proper medications could be given so that the condition does not worsen,” Aleem said.

Meanwhile, course director and head of the department at the Kauvery Brain & Spine Centre in Trichy Dr G Jos Jasper said that on an average 15 patients come to the hospital per month and most of them come only five to seven years after developing the condition. He said that this is not restricted to just the rural population. “Due to the increase in nuclear families in the city, there is hardly anyone to notice behavioural change in an elderly person. Only when such patients do not even recognize their family members, they are brought in for treatment,” he said.

Experts suggest that adequate training on how to deal with Alzheimer’s patients with patience and empathy should also be given to care-givers.

Dean of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital Dr G Anitha said that since the patients to the hospital are generally from low socio-economic group, many do not even know about Alzheimer’s and hence they take the patients only when the condition gets worse.