Activities

ILC-I has undertaken a pioneering research study to identify the health, social & behavioural markers as possible early determinants of dementia in Pune city. ILC-I has developed a special questionnaire for the seniors & another for their spouses/families to track their behavioural & lifestyle changes.

The respondents will be 1000 elders above 65 from Pune who will be selected randomly with the help of the senior citizens’ organizations. The scoring of the answers would help categorise the respondents as early, moderate or severe dementia cases.

The 7 Minute Screening Test (7MS) & the Mini Mental State Evaluation Test (MMSE) will also be administered by trained personnel along with the specially devised ILC-I questionnaire to the volunteering senior citizens.

ILC-I also will use the social work techniques of counseling, group therapy & case work for managing the identified patients in the family itself. This in itself is a pioneering effort especially in India, where awareness about dementia & Alzheimers’ is very low.

A special advisory committee headed by Dr. S. D. Gokhale, Hon. President, ILC-I & with experts like psychiatrists, neurologists, counselors has been set up. An ethical committee too has been set up.

This is essentially a social research study using social applications & has no medical interventions. The objective of the study being to help track the early onset of dementia & with the social work techniques help retard or arrest the same.