- Dementia Center set up at Mayo Hospital
Caretaker Punjab Health Minister Saleema Hashmi has stressed the need of formulation of a consolidated policy at provincial and national levels to cater to the problems of senior citizens.
While addressing the inaugural ceremony of Dementia Research Center at the Psychiatry Department in Mayo Hospital on Thursday, Saleema said that the weakening of joint family system in the country was leading to an increase in social and health related problems of the aged.
Psychiatry Department Head Prof Aftab Asif said that it was the prime responsibility of youngsters to look after their old parents. He further said that the age expectancy in Pakistan was increasing and side by side the diseases of Dementia and Alzheimer had also increased. He said that these diseases started from the loss of memory and aggravated day by day till the patient becomes unable to perform daily chores.
Prof Aftab emphasised the importance of the role of other family members for taking care of their elders. He said that establishment of Dementia Center in Mayo Hospital would be helpful in solving the problems of Dementia and Alzheimer patients.
Hashmi said that it was the need of the time to create awareness among the masses regarding these diseases so that people could understand the problems of their old parents and to help them properly.
Alzheimer’s Pakistan Patron Prof Yasmeen Rashid informed that the society had established a Day Care Center in Johar Town for such patients. She said that the establishment of Dementia Research Center in Mayo Hospital was a positive step which would prove helpful to solve the social problems and to provide treatment facilities to the patients of Dementia and Alzheimer.
