Poster Presentations

Session Title: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) including Non-Cognitive Aspects
Presentation Date: Friday, March 14 – Saturday, March 15, 2009

IDENTIFYING A HIDDEN PROBLEM-DEMENTIA- IN ELDERLY PEOPLE LIVING IN OLD-AGE HOMES

M. Khan, N. Pavitra, S. Lakshmi
Mysore Medical College & Research Institute, Comunity Medicine, MYSORE, India

Background: India is a developing country with a population of 1028.7 millions among which 7.5% (76.6 millions) are of Geriatric age group^. This would increase to 12.3% (108 million) by 2025 and 240 million by 2050.
Aim and objectives: To identify dementia in the elderly inhabitants living in old-age homes, study the risk factors and create awareness among caretakers about dementia and to provide moral support and care to the demented individuals.
Material & methods: Eight old-age homes in Mysore City, India were selected at random. 100 inmates of these old-age homes aged above 60 years and having stayed in the old-age home for at least 2 months were included in the study.
Collection of data:-Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was done for assessing cognitive function and documenting subsequent decline to screen the subjects (n=100) and those with score < 23 were considered to have dementia (n=24).To these 24 subjects Blessed Dementia Rating Scale was used.
Results:

• Females (29.4%) showed more signs of dementia than males (12.5%)(P< 0.05).
• More people in the age group 71-80 years had dementia (20% of males,46.2% of females) (P< 0.001).
• Females who had both hypertension and diabetes mellitus showed dementia in more number(50% being affected).