Media Release

Mangalore, Feb 13: A meeting took place between, Dr Prabha Adhikari,head, Geriatric Care,KMC, Dr Sudhakar Nayak,Biochemistry, KMC,Manipal, Jerardin D'souza, chief coordinator, Mangalore Alzheimer's Association [MAA] and Dr Jochen Becker-Ebel,CEO, MediAcion,Hamburg, Germany at the Board Room of KMC Hospital, Attavar Mangalore on February 12 from 12 pm to 4pm.

There was a wide range of discussion and sharing information on Alzheimers Care Giving. Since the recent launch of Mangalore Alzheimer's Association [MAA],there has been lot of awareness of this affliction.

Dr Prabha Adhikari had invited Jerardin D'souza to discussand receive  information from the hugely experienced Dr Becker from Germany. Dr.Becker said '' In ten years time the Alzheimers affected people in India will multiply  and there will be no need for Jerardin Dsouza to create any awareness''

''On top of the 48% income tax,The Govt of Germany has levied a tax of 1% only to help the Alzheimers affected and very soon India too will have to address this situation'' declared Dr Becker.

'' In Germany people are well aware of Alzheimers and there are eighty thousand facilities in Germany as care centres. In an advanced Alzheimer case ,the patient cannot be kept at home, there has to be a separate facility to care for this very unfortunate affliction'' stressed Dr Becker.

Dr Prabha Adhikari was all praise for Jerardin D'souza,for his zeal and enthusiasm in bringing awareness and forming a support group for the Alzheimer's affected and launching the 'Mangalore Alzheimer's Association [MAA]'.

 Dr Becker promised to train the Alzheimer's Volunteers in a batch of 25 each.There will be another highly qualified and experienced Alzheimer's  professional accompanying Dr Becker.

''The family of the Alzheimer's affected  needs to be counseled and made to understand the specific needs of the affected,'' said Dr Becker.

"It is fun ,interacting with the affected and one should not be paranoid or scared to face the  reality.,Once diagnosed ,we should handle it Creatively & involve the patient too'' he advised .

Jerardin Dsouza, indicated that the cost of rehabilitating or building facilities for the Alzheimer's affected would be a restraining factor.

''Let the rich ,who can afford, pay for the facilities, care ,etc and from the income generated ,the poor can be supported. We should never make the facility look like its running on charity,because the rich will shun it,'' said Dr Becker.

"There should be a specially constructed building to support and facilitate  the Alzheimer affected and old age people'' said Dr Prabha Adhikari.

''In Germany there are Gated Old Age Communities,where Alzheimer's affected too stay. There has to be nursing and medical facility and facility for physical activities'' said Dr Jochen Becker.

''We will discuss the commercial viability of building a Modern ,scientific and Old Age Friendly structure and get a builder involved right away'' said Jerardin Dsouza,,who is an Engineer by qualification.

Dr Jochen Becker -Ebel and Dr.Prabha Adhikari, signed a MOU,for getting doctors trained in Palliative Care. On behalf of The Manipal Academy and  MediAcion ,Hamburg,Germany, the MOU was  exchanged .

Dr Lavina Noronha, director, Ave Maria Palliative Care,Mangalore, had a conference call and Dr Becker and Dr Prabha Adhikari interacted on the subject of Palliative Care ''Is Care Giving when Cure Giving ends'' said Dr Adhikari,,explaining that ,when a person is beyond medical cure, a peaceful and less painful way to end the last days of life is called 'Palliative Care' said both Dr Becker and Dr Adhikari.