Media Release
Mangaluru, Nov 4: The department of audiology and speech-language pathology at Kasturba Medical College, organized a Rehabilitation Council of India (New Delhi) accredited national conference on ‘Aging: Holistic Perspectives on Hearing, Cognitive Communication, Voice, and Dysphagia’ on November 3 and 4, at KMC Marena Indoor Sports Complex, Attavar.
Dr Dilip G Naik, pro vice-chancellor (Mangaluru campus) of MAHE, Manipal inaugurated the conference. He congratulated the organizing committee for addressing the importance of the social health topic and expressed his best wishes for the event’s success. The presiding officer for the inaugural function, Dr B Unnikrishnan, dean, KMC Mangaluru, lauded the department's consistent efforts in organizing continuing rehabilitation education programmes and urged them to embark on further initiatives of a similar nature. Organizing chairperson and head, Dr Kaushlendra Kumar and organizing secretary Dr Preetie Shetty Akkunje, assistant professor of the department of audiology and speech language pathology presided over the session.
The main objective of the conference was to provide updates on best practices for the early identification of age-related speech, language, cognition, swallowing, and hearing disorders among geriatrics. The programme featured 13 plenary sessions and a panel discussion on specific aspects, with contributions from renowned national and international speakers in the field. The conference hosted Dr Michael Thaut, professor of music and neuroscience and director of the Music and Health Science Research Centre (MARC), University of Toronto, also chair of special interest group chairs in World Federation of Neurorehabilitation, Dr Nirmal Surya, president of the Indian Federation of Neurorehabilitation, and Dr S P Goswami, president of Indian Speech and Hearing Association. Total 57 research paper presentations on assessment and treatment related to geriatric healthcare were included in the conference proceedings. The event benefited more than 400 delegates from across the country.