Activities of ARDSI-Delhi Chapter

Change of Presidentship

Dr. Manjari Tripathi, Addl. Professor, Department of Neurology, All India institute of Medical Sciences took over as the President of ARDSI Delhi Chapter from Smt. Nirmala Narula on 17 December, 2010.

Founder’s Day Program

Founder’s Day was observed on 8 March, 2011 at 3 p.m. at Delhi University, South Campus.  The program included talks by Smt. Nirmala Narula, President (Emeritus) ARDSI, Dr. Manjari Tripathi, President ARDSI- Delhi Chapter,  Dr. Madhavi Dave, Head, Department of PET Imaging, Molecular & Research Centre Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences and Dr. Rajesh Sagar, Associate Prof. of Psychiatry, AIIMS followed by an interactive session. Many students from the South Campus colleges participated and raised numerous questions to the speakers which were clarified. Tea and refreshments were served to all the participants after the session.

NISD Sensitization Program

One day Sensitization Program for the Family Caregivers of the Demented Elderly was conducted at our Resource Centre under the aegis of National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) on 19th February, 2011. Sixteen family members participated who were explained the intricacies of care giving to AD patients.  Discussion and question answer session proved very useful both to the family caregivers as well as to our counselors. The resource persons were drawn from ARDSI- DC pool of experts which included Dr. Saurabh Vatts, Dr. Amrita Murthy, Dr. Amita Rani Gupta, Wg. Cdr. Y. P. Singh, Mrs. Gita Das and Mrs. Renu Vohra.

HelpAge India- ARDSI National Project on Alzheimer’s & Related Disorders

ARDSI- Delhi Chapter in collaboration with HelpAge India (HI) organized Alzheimer’s Awareness & Memory Test Camps with Old Age Homes (OAHs) in Delhi-NCR during January/February 2011.

ARDSI- DC achieved the planned target of sessions at 15 OAHs.  The following activities were conducted at the Old Age Homes:-

• Gave a talk on Alzheimer’s & Related Disorders.
• Conducted Memory Tests of the residents of OAHs.
• Distributed relevant literatures.
• Interacted and trained staff/sevaks of OAHs.
• Prepared list of individuals requiring specialist services for referrals.

National program was planned to be conducted at six cities having ARDSI Chapters by HelpAge India and ARDSI- National Office. Incidentally Delhi Chapter has achieved the planned target well ahead of its time.
During the course of visits, around 207 residents were screened for memory problems by ARDSI- DC volunteers in the above homes. The analysis of the screening is in progress, prima facie it has been observed few among the screened are found to be at risk and few confirmed with AD at different stages.

Target Achievement

The following targets were achieved during the year:

• 60 caregivers were trained to take care of the AD patients.
• Home visits to 160 Alzheimer’s Disease patients were carried out.
• Ten awareness generation camps and a National Consultation were organised.
• 12 poor patients were provided free medicine on sustained basis.