Media Release
Udupi, Jul 14: Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, has launched a new comprehensive geriatric psychiatry clinic to address mental health and memory-related problems among older people. The clinic will run every Friday from 2:30 pm at the psychiatry outpatient department.
The clinic is meant for older adults who face problems such as depression, anxiety, memory loss, and other mental health issues as they grow older. Doctors at the clinic will examine and treat psychiatric problems in older adults. They will also treat conditions like mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Patients and their families can get consultation, diagnosis, and treatment in one place.
The number of older people in India is growing fast. Today, the country has around 13.8 crore people aged 60 and above. This number may cross 19 crores by 2031 and reach nearly 32 crores by 2050. As people live longer, emotional and memory problems are also becoming more common. A national study has found that about 88 lakh Indians above sixty, that is, nearly one in every thirteen, are living with dementia. Studies also show that close to one in ten older people has depression. Often, these problems go unnoticed because families believe that memory loss, sadness, or changes in behavior are a normal part of old age.
Doctors say that many of these problems can be treated well if they are detected early. A proper check-up, counseling, and medications can slow down memory loss, reduce depression and anxiety, and help older people manage their daily life better. It also helps families understand the condition and provide better care for their elders.
Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, said that this clinic will help meet an important need among senior citizens that is often ignored. He said that as people are living longer, problems like memory loss, dementia, and depression are increasing, but many times they are not treated because people think it is part of aging. He added that through this clinic, the hospital wants to give older people proper check-ups, counseling, and good care at one place for all psychological issues, and also support their families.
Patients and their families can visit the comprehensive geriatric psychiatry clinic every Friday from 2:30 pm at the psychiatry outpatient department, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal.