HMC supports global drive on Alzheimer’s

September is World Alzheimer’s Month, an international campaign organised to challenge the stigma that surrounds dementia and to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease, the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) said yesterday.This year marks the 6th Global World Alzheimer’s Month and the theme for 2017 is “Remember Me”, highlighting the importance of early detection and diagnosis of dementia.Qatar has been designated as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Dementia Observatory (GDO) site.The GDO is a Web-based data and knowledge exchange platform of key dementia information.Dementia is the general term used to describe a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life.Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and specifically affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language.Dr Hanadi al-Hamad, the chairperson of the Geriatrics and the Long Term Care Department at HMC, said: “During September, we join the international community in the global effort to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia.“As our population increases and we have older people living longer, we have more incidences of Alzheimer’s.“Engaging with communities is an important way to help people understand the symptoms and what support and treatment options are available.” Reiterating that the focus of this year’s theme is early diagnosis of dementia, she added: “At our Memory Clinics at Rumailah Hospital, we regularly see patients referred for evaluation because of memory problems, but a real concern is that often we see families bringing their loved ones at a later stage, once the symptoms have progressed significantly.”There is no single test to determine if someone has dementia, and symptoms can vary greatly.Dr al-Hamad explained: “Elderly people with dementia often have multiple medical comorbidities; having a diagnosis early ensures optimum care plans are put in place for the management of their physical health conditions.”She added: “This year, as part of World Alzheimer’s Month, the Department of Geriatrics, in association with the Qatar Foundation for Elderly Care, the Primary Healthcare Corporation, and the World Innovation Summit for Health, has planned a series of education events to raise awareness about the need for early detection.”