The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

BODY&MIND
Alzheimer’s should not be dismissed as senility
Tripti Nath

Delhi-based family physician, Dr Sushma Chawla, who lost her mother to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) five years back, is keen on setting up day care centres in various neighbourhood localities in Delhi. Founder of Hope Ek ASHA (Affectionate Secure Home for Alzheiner’s), a research organisation dedicated to the care of caregivers, Dr Chawla says that the main objective of setting up the care centres is to give respite to caregivers. The organisation, founded in 2000, is named after her mother.

On its Foundation Day and fourth caregiver meet of Alzheimer’s disease, patients at India Habitat Centre here on Sunday, Hope Ek ASHA has invited renowned neurologists, psychologists and the vice-chairman of Alzheimer’s Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI). The chief guests at the function are Dr Cherian Verghese from World Health Organisation and Mr K.V.S. Chopra, Additional Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance.

While psychiatrist Dr Sanjay Chug will speak on neuropsychological rehabilitation in dementia, Dr Manjari Tripathi, Assistant Professor, Neurology, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Dr K.S. Anand, senior neurologists from Ram Manohar Lohi Hospital, will present his views on management of Alzheimer’s Disease patients.

Dr Harsh Sehgal, Ayurvedic physician will speak on role of Ayurveda in management of AD. As many as four million persons in India are suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, a type of dementia. Delhi alone would have about 15,000 cases of AD, says Dr Chawla.

The main symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease are loss of recent memory, impairment of judgement and rational thinking leading to degenerative disorder of the brain. The patient, therefore, becomes totally dependent on his caregivers to carry on with his routine. Other symptoms are inability to perform familiar tasks. In some cases, a patient may even put a morsel of bread in his mouth but not know what to do with it. “It is a frightening disease. At day care centres, we would like to offer elderly persons in the first and second stage of AD some memory tests. My friends in the medical profession have offered their services in running the centre. I’m in the process of identifying premises for running the centre where we would have a neurologist, psychology, diabeatologist, cardiologist and ophthalmologist. But one centre will not be enough. If one centre is established, you will see others mushroom.

Such centres are being run in Cochin, Goa and Kerala. Besides, New Zealand, Singapore and US also have such centres as part of their social security system.”

Hope Ek ASHA hopes to offer physiological and occupational therapy, music therapy, group and individual exercises and regular health screenings by leading specialists.

Dr Chawla says that caregivers undergo a lot of stress while nursing patients of Alzheimer’s Disease. “Patients of AD develop bowel and urinary incontinence and avoid social gatherings.”

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia and was first described by German neurologist, Dr Alois Alzheimer in 1906.

Chief of Invasive and Interventional Cardiology at the EHIRC Dr Ashok Seth.

Dr Seth’s surgical skills: For the first time in the history of Indian sub-continent and the entire Asia pacific region, an Indian cardiologist was invited to the prestigious Tras Catheter Therapeutics (TCT) conference in the United Sates to showcase his skills.

Dr Ashok Seth, Chief of Invasive and Interventional Cardiology at the Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre (EHIRC) performed surgery on three complicated cases early this week.

The demonstration was transmitted live via satellite for an audience of 15,000 specialists. It was a one way video and two way audio communications. The TCT conference is a platform for specialists to exhibit their expertise. The second day of the conference has a live session where top cardiologists demonstrate their techniques. Of five centres, the Escorts Heart Institute was the only one to be chosen from India. “This is a moment of pride not only for me but the entire nation.

This is the start of greater acceptance of expertness from India,” says Padmashree Dr Seth.

RCI to offer M.phil course: The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, is all set to offer MPhil in Rehabilitation Psychology. The main objective of introducing the two-year full time course is to build a team of professional psychologists who would work for the disabled in the country. India has about 70 million disabled persons, according to voluntary organisations working in the area of disability.

The course will be offered through the National Institute of Mentally Handicapped, Hyderabad, in affiliation with Osmania University. The course is targeted at students who hold a postgraduate degree in Psychology and wish to pursue a career in the field of special education.

Explaining the significance of the course, RCI Chairman, Major H.P.S Ahluwalia says, “Rehabilitation psychology is emerging as a new frontier in the field of disability. A lot of maturity and patience is needed to educate a disabled child. We feel that advanced qualifications in this area are very important for building a team of professionals.

SPORTS

Azad Club make merry in Delhi Hockey League
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 20
Azad Club enjoyed unfettered freedom as they rained goals on Delhi Stars Club to record a 7-0 victory in the PNB Delhi Hockey League for clubs at the Shivaji Stadium on Saturday. Azad Club led by three goals at half time.

Sandeep slotted home five goals (no hattrick) while Brij scored the remaining three goals.

In the second match, PNB Hockey Academy beat Super Stars 6-0, with four of the goals coming in the first half. Mandeep opened the account in the very first minute, Parmod added the second goal while Sandeep scored the third and fourth goals to complete the half-time scoring. Jaspreet Singh and Satpal Singh accounted for the last two goals.

Metropolitan beat New Stars 6-4, after leading by 4-2 at the interval. Dharmendra scored the first two goals for the winners. Amit and Naveen accounted for the third and fourth goals respectively. Parvinder then reduced the margin for New Stars when he converted a penalty stroke, and he also accounted for their second goal to narrow Metropolitan’s lead to 4-2. Nitin scored the fifth and sixth goals for Metropolitan while Mayank scored the third goal of New Star and Yashwant their fourth goal.

Delhi Tigers beat MBS XI 4-3. Mukesh scored a hattrick for Tigers. Yogesh struck home the fourth goal. Kishan, Tarun and Lucky were the marksmen of MBS XI.

Academy, Rajput, Delhi Sports, Azad, PNB Academy, Chota Nagpur, Khalsa Blues and Stars have qualified for the Super League beginning on Sunday.

Anup hattricks for St. Francis De Sales

New Delhi, September 20
Three goals in a row by Anup was the highlight of hosts St. Francis De Sales School B team’s 4-1 victory against St Marks Public School, Meera Bagh in the opening Pool C match of the Fr. Peter Mermier Football Tournament at the Francis School ground in Janakpuri on Saturday.

The winners led by one goal, scored by Anup, at the interval.

Anup struck two more goals on resumption while Nishant knocked in the fourth goal. Bhawan pulled off the consolation goal for St. Marks.

Delhi Public School, R K Puram blanked Birla Vidya Niketan School, Pushp Vihar 8-0 in a Pool D match. Striker Kamal scored a fluent hattrick. The other goals were scored by Ajat, Lakshay, Pranav and Anupam.

In a lop-sided tie, DPS led by two goals at the interval. There will be no match on Sunday.

Tarun Sangha hold Shahdara

Tarun Sangha rallied to hold Shahdara 2-2 in the first leg of the second semi-final of the DSA Senior Division Football League Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium on Saturday. The second leg will be played on Monday. Indian Air Force will meet Indian National in the second leg of the first semi-final on Sunday.

Sharam Singh Negi and Pramod Rawat scored for Shahdara to give them a 2-0 lead. Hardhan Kora scored both the goals for Tarun Sangha. OSR

Joginder, Kaif star in Public Sector Cricket
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 20
Brilliant bowling by Joginder Sharma and a dashing knock by Mohd Kaif enabled Oil and Natural Gas Corporation defeat Air India by nine wickets and entered the final of the All-India Public Sector Cricket Tournament at the Roshanara Club ground. In the second semi-final, Indian Airlines defeated Food Corporation of India (FCI) by 41 runs at the Central Secretariat ground.

The final will be played at the Central Secretariat ground on Sunday.

Scores: Air India: 169 all out in 36.4 overs (Harshad Rawle 43, Nikhil Doru 39, Joginder Sharma 5 for 19, Amit Uniyal 2 for 28, Sarandeep Singh 1 for 42).

ONGC: 173 for 1 in 28.4 overs (Mohd. Kaif 85 n o, 1x6, 10x4; Gagan Khoda 69 n o, 8x4). Joginder Sharma was named the man of the match.

Indian Airlines: 261 for 4 in 40 overs (Rajat Bhatia 67 n o, 4x6, 1x4; R R Parida 65 n o, 4x4; Vijay Dhaiya 42, 4x4; Pankaj Thakur 2 for 42).

FCI: 220 for 7 in 40 overs (Saikat Mukherjee 51, 1x6, 7x4; Akash Malhotra 36, 2x6, 2x4; Nikhil Chopra 2 for 41, Ishan Ghanda 2 for 30, Munaf Patel 1 for 27, Rajat Bhatia 1 for 22). Rajat Bhatia was named the man of the match.

Robin Bisht shines for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 20
An all-round display by Robin Bisht, who scored 84 runs and scalped four wickets, enabled Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan defeat Delhi Public School (DPS), Mathura Road by seven wickets in the Radha Kishan Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Cambridge Foundation School ground.

Scores: Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Curzon Road: 224 for 5 in 30 overs (Robin Bhist 84, 9x4, 3x6, 65b; Siddharth Sahni 59, 8x4, 6x6; Rishi Bhardwaj 28, 6x4; Siddhant Sahani 2 for 40, Harshit Sharma 2 for 35).

DPS: 221 for 7 in 30 overs (Rameez Nemat 121, 10x4, 3x6; Shivam Sharma 53, 3x4, 3x6; Robin Bhist 4 for 36). J D Tytler defeated St. Marks by 71 runs in the second match.

Scores: J D Tytler: 178 for 7 in 30 overs (Abhirup Basu 88, 9x4, 1x6; Vikrant Dhir 40,8x4; Ankit Rawal 2 for 38).

St. Marks: 107 all out in 27.1 overs (Hansit Singh 28, Rishab Jain 4 for 12).

ADMINISTRATION

Move to issue photo ID cards in Noida
Our Correspondent

Noida, September 20
The district administration has started the process of photo identity cards for voters all over again. About 35,000 photos have been taken so far and the work on the identity cards will be taken up by the next month, according to Additional District Election Officer Satya Pal Singh Tyagi.

In all, 36,785 photographs were taken in the district while up to July 10, some 10,209 photographs taken.

The Additional District Election Officer said that the next phase of photography would begin in the last week of September.

The cards will be issued with the online photography facility.

The decisions have been taken in a meeting of the District Election Office before which a state level meeting of the election department was held in Lucknow. It was decided in the meeting to rush the necessary equipment on the online photography and for issuing identity cards to the district offices.

The equipment will reach the district election offices by next week.

These voters whose photographs were taken between 1995 and 2000, but the cards got misplaced, can get their new photos taken and cards made by filling in Form 2. For this, they will have to pay a fee of Rs 25.

Representatives of all the RWAs had attended the meeting where numerous complaints of gross mismanagement in making and issuing cards were also made by various RWA representatives.