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by Deepal Warnakulasuriya

To cater to one of the problems faced by elders' a Dementia Care Centre was opened at Mallika Nivasa Elders' Home, Bambalapitiya recently. A local doctor who participated at a workshop on Dementia in U.S.A. enabled a Dementia Care Centre to be opened in Sri Lanka with the help of Helpage and Mallika Elders' Home, Bambalapitiya.

Dementia is a clinical term used to describe a person who has impairment in memory together with impairment of other cognitive functions as language and perception of the World around them, Dr, Samudra Katriarachchi, the Head of the Dept of Phycology in the University of Sri Jayawardenepura explained.

She said that Dementia leads to gradual progressive memory loss and behavioral abnormalities ultimately dragging over a few years to physical disability leading to a dependent state. Dr. Katriarachchi also said that with the rapid increase of elders, the prevalence of Dementia would reach 200 million worldwide by the next millennium.

A model Dementia Care Centre was opened by the Health, Nutrition and Welfare Minister P. Dayaratne at the premises of Mallika Elders' Home, Bambalapitiya. The centre is specially furnished and equipped with trained carers. The project is a joint venture by Helpage Sri Lanka and Mallika Nivasa Samitiya.

Two handbooks have also been released compiled by the Psychiatry Unit of the Sri Jayawardenapura University, Medical Faculty.

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