New resource book on Dementia

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) with the support of Volunteer Services Overseas and funding from the European Union unveiled a new resource book for dementia care in Sri Lanka at a news conference in Angoda.

Understanding Dementia: A Resource Book for Dementia Care, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, is designed to provide practical knowledge, tools and expertise to all healthcare workers and family members who care for people with dementia.

"Caring for someone with dementia is very difficult and requires a great deal of support and expertise", said Dr. Ravindra Ruberu, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and guest speaker at the launch.

This book covers all aspects of caring for a patient with dementia - from the practical to the medical. I encourage all healthcare professionals to use this guide to help them care for their patients".

As 20 percent of Sri Lanka's population will be over 65 years of age by the end of 2020, health experts agree that mental health issues like dementia will be on the rise in future.

This guide will help ensure that Sri Lanka's mental health workers and family members are prepared.

"In my work managing the Old Age Psychiatry Unit at NIMH, I recognised the need to gather all the collective knowledge into one resource guide to assist carers of people with dementia", said Dr. Kapila Ranasinghe, Consultant Psychiatrist at NIMH and author of the book.