Bangkok--5 Jan--DC Consultants and Marketing Communications
The Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association - Thailand and a network of over 50 corporate partners will organise “the Thailand Dementia 2011 and 14th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International,” an important international conference aimed at improving the quality of life for Alzheimer’s sufferers and their families. The event aims to push for a national health policy for Alzheimer's sufferers and will take place from 11 to 13 January 2012 at Swissotel Le Concorde Hotel, Ratchadaphisek Road, Bangkok.
Sirintorn Chansirikarnjana M.D., Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital and Chairman of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association — Thailand said a report by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) conducted in 2010 found that there are over 35 million people with dementia globally, including over 2.4 million in Southeast Asia. In Thailand, the 4th Thai public health survey conducted in 2008-2009 by the Office of Public Health of Thailand, Health Systems Research Institute, surveyed 21,960 people, with people aged over 60 years accounting for 44 per cent or 9,720. Surveys found that 12.4 per cent of people aged over 60 years have dementia, 9.8 per cent being male while 15.1 per cent are female.
Categorised by age group: people aged 60 — 69 years suffering dementia accounted for 7.1 per cent. Aged 70 — 79 years found 14.7 per cent having dementia, whereas people aged 80 years or over having dementia accounted for 32.5 per cent.
The latest population census surveyed in 2010 by the Office of National Statistics reports that the ageing population accounted for 12 per cent of the whole population, and it is expected that the number will increase to 17 per cent by 2020.
It is estimated that there are at least 300,000 people with dementia across the nation, which is huge number. And what is astounding is those patients, relatives and carers are not aware that they have dementia.
In 2012, The Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, Thailand and a network of more than 50 corporate partners are honoured to organise the Thailand Dementia 2011 and 14th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International from 11 to 13 January 2012 at Swissotel Le Concorde Hotel, Ratchadaphisek Road, Bangkok. The conference is aimed at improving the quality of life for the Alzheimer’s sufferers and their families and to push for a national health policy for Alzheimer's sufferers.
“Our target audience includes patients’ networks, practitioners, academics, health officers, carers, families of dementia patients, public health volunteers, members of elderly clubs, civil society networks, media, students and interested members of the public. The event is divided into two parts, starting with an academic conference for members of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Associations in Asia Pacific region which include physicians, nurses and carers, both Thai and international. The conference is aimed at promoting better knowledge, understanding and incorporates many of the significant issues associated with caring for people with dementia. Workshops and presentations under the theme ‘Dementia: It’s Time for Action’ will also be included,” Dr.Sirintorn said.
"The other part is ‘Love and Understanding’ exhibition under the theme ‘We Care We Share’ for patients with Alzheimer's held for the public sector. We have invited civil society, networks of dementia patient carers, practitioners and other interested people to attend meetings to share their experiences. This exhibition is powered by the United Nations Population Fund (United Nations Population Fund - UNFPA).
“This stage will play as a positive opportunity for participants. They include innovative use of media, a Q&A session, demonstrations, various tests with information about preventing and slowing down Alzheimer's disease symptoms, screening, treatment and care, as well as how to access sources of useful information so that carers, families and communities will be able help empower patients with Alzheimer's disease. Knowledge and experience will be shared by our networks, such as the Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Institute of Dentistry, Department of Medical Services, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University and the Mirror Foundation,” Dr.Sirintorn added.
Programmes are as follows: January 11, 2012, there will be workshops to raise awareness among society about dementia, a lecture on "Dementia situation in Thailand," a panel discussion "Everything will be better, If we understand dementia" by medical professionals, representative networks of Alzheimer's disease carers, representatives from the National Health Security Office, from the Department of Public Welfare, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, including representatives from the government. There will also be lectures on the topic "The care of patients with Alzheimer's disease in Japan," by Dr Ken Sasaki, and demonstrations of the art therapy treatment for Alzheimer's patients.
On January 12, 2012, there will be a practical seminar and workshop by a network of carers of Alzheimer's patients, and social networks to learn and create something better for patients with Alzheimer's disease. These will be followed by a lecture on the obligation to care for patients with dementia and a panel discussion on exchanging experiences among carers for Alzheimer's patients with case studies. Suggestions on a policy to push for the consideration of dementia as a national agenda will be forwarded to related agency.