ACTIVITIES

 

Mission Statement
ARDSI Calcutta is dedicated to supporting and educating carers and the community in the identification and management of dementia and related disorders .

Vision Statement
To develop high level awareness of current and future Dementia related issues amongst Government, Medical Professionals, Corporates, Society and Individuals to assist with the management of the disease and the levels of support offered to those affected by it. To build a network of campuses which provide information, education, support and care for all persons with Dementia and those involved in managing the disease.
 

Core Values

The Corporate Values governing ARDSI Calcutta’s operations and development include:

• Total respect for all clients, families, supporters and carers in all our actions and decisions.
• We will be constantly aware of the feelings of all people involved displaying genuine compassion and sensitivity in all our dealings.  

• We will ensure the dignity of all individuals entrusted to our care is maintained at the highest possible levels throughout all our dealings with them.

• We will operate with the highest levels of professionalism, integrity and teamwork to ensure the best possible outcomes for all those who come into contact with our organisation.

ACTIVITIES 2005
Our year started with ARDSI  being granted the 12 A & 80 G exemption and being chosen as one of the 3 NGO’s in India by the International Federation of Aging on the basis of a paper presented reflecting our goals/values and philosophy to work on the BUILDING CAPACITY IN HEALTH CARE PROJECT.
OTHER ACTIVITIES:
CARERS TRAINING PROGRAM - QUALITY DEMENTIA CARE TRAINING PROGRAM was conducted with CMIG & SNMA. Training was aimed at provision of support to

persons suffering from dementia & their families in a variety of settings including family houses and community day care centers.
A total of 30 carers participated in the program and received our certificate of participation. A special note of thanks for Mrs. Bela Mukherjee and Ms. Ranjana Mondal.
We also conducted a special session with counselors under the Government of India programme from District Level preparing them as counselors in Dementia care.
AWARENESS PROGRAMS:
As part of awareness campaign,World Alzheimer Day 2005 programme was The Month of Memories. The Theme was “We can Make a difference”. The month program was supported by Eisai Pharmaceuticals.

•Training of Dementia Carers with Calcutta Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology 31st of August to 2nd of September

•Meeting with the Director, National Institute of Social Defense, Govt. of India and introducing Dementia care to the Government agenda on the National Policy of

Elders.

•Meeting on the 12th of September with delegates of all elderly care organizations in the eastern region of India and officials from NISD to prepare a draft of legislation for the elderly population in Bhubaneswar, Orissa.

•Bank Awareness on special needs of Alzheimer victims in their bank work all over Kolkata

•Show titled“Drifting through time – the story of Alzheimers” produced by ARDSI and funded by WHO & Ministry of Health, Govt. Of India at Rotary Sadan Auditorium on the 17th of September. A special thanks to Novartis and Eisai Pharmaceuticals for their support.

•Radio talk show with Power FM on the 21st of September

•Awareness talk programme on All India Radio on warning signals of Alzheimers.

•Awareness programme on Alzheimer disease and caregiving with the Sebabrati trainies with Saroj Nalini Memorial Association on 23rd of Sept.

•An awareness campaign at Burdawan town with 25 -30 people from different walks of life, eg, doctors, social workers, administrators, politicians, teachers,

professors, nursing staff, NGO' who in turn can sensitize their own community on the 24th of September.

•Interactive session on Dementia Care with Doctors, professional caregiver, Family Carers and persons with Dementia on the 30th of September at Bangur institute of Neurology.

•At IIT kharagpur , Mr. Deepak Mitra presented a paper in a Seminar on Old Age & Dying in November.

•ARDSI Calcutta participated in the Health & Wellbeing show at Grand Oberoi and had interactive sessions on issues of Dementia in April.

•ARDSI Calcutta was featured in graffiti magazine in The Telegraph Newspaper from june 2005 till December 2005. The society received around 150 Calls for help on Dementia from the campaign.

•ARDSI Calcutta participated in the Kolkata Marathon, 2006. The event was partly supported by Connective Systems PVT. LTD. A software company in Salt Lake, sector5.

•A Bengali version of “Carer Tips Manual” was done by Mr. Deepak Mitra and printed by Eisai Pharmaceuticals.

•Carers support group services

•It was formally launched by ARDSI in association with Novartis India LTD. on 28th of January, 2006. The group meets once a month and is represented by former

carers, present carers, doctors, professional from various backgrounds. The group plans to come out with a quarterly newsletter soon. We had 4 meetings.

•Homecare visits/services- 96 + contacted the society last year.

ARDSI Calcutta has been going out in the community and helping family carers deal with the disease. All the referrals have been from Doctors involved with ARDSI and beyond the society. Also, a quite a few trained carers have been engaged in Homecare services through ARDSI in the community.
FUNDRAISING
The society received few donations in the past year besides few life membership fees.
Memory Clinic A memory clinic was opened at NNC Peerless Hospital. ARDSI’s association remains with carers at the clinic. A leaflet is distributed at the clinic carrying information on ARDSI work and services.

ACTIVITIES 2006
BEST DEMENTIA CARER AWARD BY Dr. (Mrs) Veena Chhotray, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 3D Vision of ARDSI Calcutta New office

One of the very successful events in the year 2006-2007 was ARDSI Calcutta acquiring its own office space. The work of setting up

the new office is near completion and the society would henceforth operate from its new premises at 15/3C Naskarpara Lane, Kolkata 31. Various activities like home visits, counseling of family carers, a memory clinic, training of professional carers, carer support meetings will be conducted at the new office, besides, awareness campaigns and seminars/workshops all over eastern India and specially at all district head-quarters.

IFA conference in Denmark

•As a participant of the IFA’s “Building Capacity in Healthcare Project” ARDSI Calcutta presented its project paper at the IFA conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in May.

Day Care Center, Paris

•As part of international exposure to Dementia Care in European Union, Day Care Centers/Institutes were visited in Paris to get a better understanding of various innovative approaches.

 

 

 

 

 

Carer session in NIMS, Hyderabad

•As part of spreading awareness among family carers on effective management of Dementia ARDSI Calcutta was

invited by the Department of Neurology, NIMS in Hyderabad.

•ARDSI Calcutta observed WAD 2006 from the 16th of September till the 24th of September. The week long observation included carer sessions, dementia awareness in old age homes, hospital awareness on dementia care and appealing for a Alzheimer care unit in hospitals, awareness of medical personnel on effective referrals and correct diagnosis, memory screening camp, essay competition entitled "Teenage Voice on Alzheimer's Disease." with schools in kolkata, Seminars at Geriatric research centers, awareness campaigns in suburban Bengal, Dementia Awareness through Media programs, workshop on homecare & community care services and finally a visit to the Health Minister of Bengal with a report on Dementia in the Asia Pacific Region – The Epidemic is here.

 

Homecare Service

•As part of its Homecare service, ARDSI Calcutta has been going out in the community and helping family carers deal with the disease. All the referrals have been from

doctors involved with ARDSI and beyond the society. Also, quite a few trained carers continue to be engaged in Homecare/Personal care services through ARDSI in the community

Homecare Service

•Home-visits, which is the highlight among all the services ARDSI Calcutta provides, has increased since the society started it from 2004. On an average, the society would make at the most 3 visits a month back in 2004. Early 2007, the number of home visits are 4-5 times a week. The society considers this service as an excellent tool for understanding & bonding with the families affected by the disease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carer Support Group Meetings

•Carer support groups formally launched by ARDSI Calcutta continues to meet once a month and is represented by former carers, present carers, doctors, professional from various backgrounds

 

 

Dementia Care Trainings

QUALITY DEMENTIA CARE TRAINING PROGRAM was conducted as part of the Management of Dementia”

training course introduced by the Ministry of Social Empowerment & Justice, Govt. of India. The sessions included theoretical exposure to effective management of behavioral problems of dementia, family carer perspective on Dementia patient, video presentation on cases of dementia and finally practical exposure of the participants to dementia patients, whereby the participants visited Dementia patients in their home set-up and gathered first hand experience. A total of 70 participants was part of the program. ARDSI Calcutta is well positioned to deal with what will be a challenging future. The organization has a talented and committed Board and members who are not only capable but also innovative and responsive to changes in the environment. We approach the future with confidence and enthusiasm

 

ACTIVITIES 2007
Accompanied with a vision to create widespread awareness and acceptance of Dementia throughout rural and urban Eastern India via continued education and

advocacy, ARDSI Calcutta continued with its ongoing activities in 2007 based on its value of :

•Understanding the unique needs of people with dementia and their carers

•Encouraging partnership & collaborative efforts

•Accountability & Viability

•Dignity & Respect

•Innovation & Creativity

At ARDSI Calcutta, our philosophy is focused on the unique individuality of people affected by Dementia. We consider Dementia a human experience, rather than a purely biological condition and therefore our holistic approach that recognizes and respects the individuality of those affected by dementia and their carers. And with a purpose to provide representation and support of individuals with dementia and their carers, at personal, community and political level, we observed various activities

around the year. ARDSI memory Clinic: ARDSI new office started operating as an administrative office from where we provide information on dementia, counseling, telephonic helpline as well as a memory clinic. The clinic was opened by Eisai Pharma ltd. and operates last Sunday of every month and is conducted by Dr. Amitabha Ghosh, Neurologist & Dr. Aparna Dutta, Neuropychologist, Apollo Gleneagles, Kolkata. Memory Screening camp

 

 

 

 

ARDSI Calcutta conducts memory screening camps in the community to identify people with memory problems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARDSI Carer Training
Year 2007-2008 saw ARDSI Calcutta conduct 3 Carer Training programs. One at CMIG with Ministry of Social Justice & empowerment, Govt. of India on March 25 TO 29TH 2008 & the other was with ARDSI Bangalore from 18 to 20 Feb, 2008 & the last one was at Mon Foundation with the Nurses Association, Medical College, Kolkata

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARDSI Carer Support Group:
ARDSI Calcutta supported Family Carers with various educational programs. Besides 2 group meetings at Kolkata, ARDSI Calcutta was invited by ARDSI Bangalore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Age Home Awareness Sessions
ARDSI Calcutta visited old homes to raise awareness of Dementia among the staff

 

 

 

 

 

 

World Alzheimer’s Day observation :
ARDSI Calcutta celebrated WAD with its Newsletter Launch and various other educational/recreational/fundraising programs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dementia Awareness with State Government on Elders Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mental health Day Collaborative Efforts with SCC, WA

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCC CEO, Stuart Flynn visited ARDSI Calcutta to conduct a workshop with Board members on strategic mgmt and long term goals of the society and the collaboration. ARDSI Calcutta also conducted a Dementia Care Awareness program at a Doctors forum on the 3 of February, 2008, involving Physicians from all departments. ARDSI Calcutta also participated to raise awareness among general public in the Kolkata Marathon 3 rd of February, 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

Carer support meeting was held at Apollo Gleneagles, kolkata with Dr. Julie Snowden from UK on the 8th of February, 2008

 

 

 

 

Total patients registered with ARDSI Calcutta in the year 2007-2008: 81 Profile of patients:
Age: Average 70/ Sex: Male 60% Female 40%
Type of dementia:
AD- 40%
PD- 20%
VD- 30%
DLB- 5%
PDP-5%
CJD- 1

patient Services provided ranged from Counseling on Behavioral management of a person with dementia to family carers, Home visits to sketch a careplan for the family, Helpline, matching professional carers for a family with a person with dementia, providing training to family carers as well as hired carers at home. Overall the Year saw major increase in the awareness among general public and recognition of dementia. ARDSI Calcutta as a society is also known to a lot of organizations and medical community. We look forward to an exciting year ahead. The much needed and awaited Daycare Centre project has to be materialized and ARDSI Calcutta needs a lot of commitment and dedication from all life members and their families and friends to make this project successful.

LOOKING BACK AT 2008- Prayerful hope

Mr. T. K. Roychowdhuri ….A dedicated volunteer reports 2008 ARDSI Calcutta activities-

For the ever increasing number of the people with Dementia and their families, it was a long-felt urgent necessity. For ARDSI Calcutta, it was a long-cherished dream. Both was finally fulfilled last year as the first specialised Dementia daycare centre in the entire eastern and north-eastern region of India was inaugurated at Ankur, Regent Estate, on July 27 and started functioning from November last year. In between, on the eve of the World Alzheimer's Day 2008, the Governor of West Bengal, Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi, ceremonially dedicated the facility to the service of community. At a distinguished congregation at Nandan on September 20, the Governor said: "It would be ironic to say that I have great pleasure to dedicate the Dementia daycare centre. I would say I have great fulfillment, great satisfaction and great prayerful hope as I dedicate this centre." This sums up the importance and responsibility of the daycare centre in the modern way of holistic treatment and care for the people with Dementia.
As the end of the year 2008 drew near, Mrs Shipra Sengupta, a family carer in her seventies whose husband, a Berkeley PhD and a globe-trotter in his heyday, has been regularly attending the daycare centre, song a beautiful Rabindrasangeet and commented at a carer support group meet at Ankur on December 25: "I have seen definite qualitative improvement in my husband's life after attending the daycare centre. And, very importantly, I am getting the much-needed respite, some time off my caring role when I can shop, socialize, read and do a lot of pressing work which cannot stop but which I was finding difficult to discharge before." That day Mrs Sengupta brought sweets for all of us, while Dr Sengupta left us spell-bound with a song of Rabindranath. Isn't that enough to feel adequately satisfied with the progress made by ARDSI Calcutta during 2008?
Maybe not. True, 2008 Kolkata witnessed a pioneering project - the daycare centre - taking shape, which defines the highest point of ARDSI Calcutta's journey with the mission to tackle Dementia, the stark reality demands more such centres at different localities, residential home, lot more care and support services, more trained professional care givers, more awareness, more efforts to ensure early diagnosis, more study and research work and so on. Miles to go, there is absolutely no room to stand and stare.
The expansion project drawn up by ARDSI Calcutta, which took off with the Ankur centre, is a confirmation of this reality. The project envisages setting up daycare centres, 24x7 respite home, an integrated central hub with carer training and research facilities where all Dementia services and administration can be accessed, and reaching out to other towns and rural areas. This is a tall task requiring huge resources and involvement of every section of the society. In other words, we need a strong Dementia solidarity.
The ARDSI Calcutta primary focus on awareness building continued in 2008 with 17 awareness camps organised targeting various sections of the society. The camps included those at Saturday Club, ITC Ladies Welfare Society, ……… Four memory-screening-cum-awareness camps were held during the year. Dr Amitabha Ghosh, neurologist, and Dr Aparna Dutta, neuro-pychologist conducted six memory clinics where 24 persons were attended to and assessed. Over the previous year (2007) there was an over 25 per cent rise in the number of patients who were given care counseling, including home visits. As many as 97 patients (46 female, 51 male) were served in 2008, while in 2007, 64 patients (36 female, 28 male) availed of the counseling service. Constant follow-up was carried out with 112 post-counseling enquiries made in 2008. Six carer support programmes were held, which included one at Apollo Gleneagles Hospital which was addressed by Dr Julie Snowden, consultant neuro-psychologist at the cerebral function unit at Greater Manchester Neuro-Science Centre, UK.
Training in Dementia care is an important area of the NGO's activity. ARDSI Calcutta was invited to impart training by the Calcutta Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (5-day course conducted in association with the ministry of social justice and empowerment, government of India), ARDSI Bangalore and Hyderabad chapters and Mon Foundation (in association with Nurses Association, Medical College). A week-long training programme was conducted at the ARDSI Calcutta daycare centre. The Calcutta University, in association with CMIG, has started a post-graduate diploma course in geriatrics from 2008. ARDSI Calcutta has been invited to conduct the Dementia care part in the course.
To highlight the value of memory in our life and also to stress on our responsibilities to preserve the power to remember and remember those who cannot remember, a mass awareness campaign was launched in 2008, which attracted a number of celebrities, professionals and common people. The campaign comprises making a solemn memory pledge and wearing a memory badge which says "Let's remember". The memory pledge reads: "Memory is a precious asset in human life. But memory cannot be taken for granted. I make solemn pledge to preserve my power to remember and remember those who cannot remember." We also sang a prayer for the entire mankind: "Give us life with unbroken memory and consciousness."
In the past year a number of prominent personalities, social organisations and corporates got involved with the Dementia cause. Mr Russi Mody became a patron, while Mr Sourav Ganguly signed the memory pledge to become a friend of ARDSI Calcutta. Axis Bank Eastern Zone has taken up the mission of tackling Dementia as one of its corporate social responsibility programmes. The Rotary Club of Calcutta Metropolitan East has adopted in its portfolio of programmes the mission of tackling Dementia. The National Cultural Association, its flagship Nehru Children's Museum and its project Ankur have come forward to join hands with ARDSI Calcutta.
The ARDSI Calcutta family welcomed 25 new members in 2008. Best wishes for them. Many people and organisations extended hands of generous help, time, voluntary service and funds, which we gratefully acknowledge.

 

 ARDSI Calcutta 2008- 2009

Accompanied with a vision to create widespread awareness and acceptance of Dementia throughout rural and urban Eastern India via continued education and advocacy, ARDSI Calcutta continued with its ongoing activities in 2008 based on its value of :

1. Understanding the unique needs of people with dementia and their carers
2. Encouraging partnership & collaborative efforts
3. Accountability & Viability
4. Dignity & Respect
5. Innovation & Creativity

At ARDSI Calcutta, our philosophy is focused on the unique individuality of people affected by Dementia. We consider Dementia a human experience, rather than a purely biological condition and therefore our holistic approach that recognizes and respects the individuality of those affected by dementia and their carers. And with a purpose to provide representation and support of individuals with dementia and their carers, at personal, community and political level, we observed various activities around the year.

ARDSI Carer Training

ARDSI Calcutta conducted several Carer Training programs. One 5 days for male carer participants was conducted by ARDSI Calcutta. Two 5 days Dementia Care training at Calcutta Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology with Ministry of Social Justice & empowerment, Govt. of India and the other was with ARDSI Bangalore from 18 to 20 Feb, 2008. A 2 days carer training also at Hyderabad ARDSI chapter was conducted in November, 2008. Another one year PG diploma Course in association with Calcutta University started on the 12th of December, 2008.
And one was at Mon Foundation with the Nurses Association, Medical college,

kolkata

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mon Foundation                                 ARDSI Bangalore                                          CMIG, kolkata

ARDSI Carer Support Group:

 

 

ARDSI Calcutta supported Family Carers with various educational programs. Besides 3 group meetings at Kolkata, ARDSI Calcutta was invited by ARDSI Bangalore.  

 

 

 

 

 

ARDSI Bangalore                              APOLLO Hosp.                              Dignity Foundation

ARDSI Teenage Association:

ARDSI Calcutta formed a teenage association educating them to raise awareness on Dementia.

Calcutta International School

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ananda Asharam                     Little sisters of the poor, Kolkata      Old Age Home Awareness Sessions
ARDSI Calcutta visited old homes to raise awareness of Dementia among the staff.

ARDSI Memory screening programs:

Memory screening has been conducted at 4 community settings. A total of over 176 people screened till date.

ARDSI Memory Clinic

ARDSI Calcutta started Memory clinic with the help of Dr. Amitabha Ghosh & Dr. Aparna Dutta in April, 2008
Since then, 7 clinics have been conducted and  24  patients have been diagnosed and treatment started.

ARDSI Counselling sessions & Home Visits:
A total of 112 patients provided ARDSI counselling & Home visit services.
AWARENESS PROGRAMS:
A total of 19 awareness program held at various organizational settings. ARDSI Calcutta started to raise awareness among general public in the Kolkata Marathon 3 rd of February, 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARDSI Calcutta also was represented at the Taiwan conference by ADI in June, 2008. In September the ARDSI Calcutta daycare was inaurgated and it has started functioning since November.

ARDSI Calcutta represented again at the ARDSI National conference in Bangalore and a Paper on “Non- Pharmocological approaches to dementia was presented by the Secretary of ARDSI Calcutta.
A Helpage India Project proposal submitted for Awareness & Training drive on Dementia care in November, 2008

 

Services provided ranged from Counseling on Behavioral management of a person with dementia to family carers, Home visits to sketch a careplan for the family, Helpline, matching professional carers for a family with a person with dementia, providing training to family carers as well as hired carers at home.

Overall the Year saw major increase in the awareness among general public and recognition of dementia. ARDSI Calcutta as a society is also known to a lot of organizations and medical community.

 

ARDSI Calcutta Chapter
Annual Activity Report (2009-2010)

April ’09

9th of April– American center awareness at the Linchon Hall. Attended by 100 + participants. Doug Kelly, Director of American center & his wife Laurel Kelly along with staff & members attended the event. Dr. P K Pooviah spoke on Dementia as a disease. A memory screening was conducted by members of the society. 14 people were screened in MMSE.

18th of April – A dementia care training workshop was conducted between 10 am to 12pm at Antara , Baruipur among the care staff of the mental home. The home started a Geriatric ward where trained staff in Dementia would be a necessity. A total of 15 staff members attended the training workshop. Nilanjana Maulik conducted the workshop.

26th of April – A dementia Care training workshop was conducted between 4pm and 6pm at Institute of Physical Medicine. Nilanjana Maulik along with Dr. Prathama Chaudhury held the workshop for care staff of the institute. A total of 26 staff members attended the said workshop.

May ‘09
2nd of May – Book Donation to ARDSI Dementia Daycare by American Center. Large print books were donated by the Director of American Center. The program was attended by Dr. N N Sarangi, Nilanjana Maulik, P G Datta Ray. Both Mr. & Mrs. Kelly joined the society as “Friends of ARDSI”

5th of May – Hospital bed donation by Mrs. Amrita Ghosh in memory of her mother Ms. Archana Roy, life member of ARDSI Calcutta. The bed was donated for the purpose of use by daycare patients to rest or during doctors visit to the center.

June ‘09

Training program on Dementia Care essentials from 15th of June to 19th of June was conducted by ARDSI Calcutta funded by HelpAge India project. This 5 days training was attended by 6 participants The participants were graded for their overall performance. Training covered all aspects of the disease. The resource persons were Ms. Ranjana Mondol, Brig. S P Bhattacharya, Mrs. Nilanjana Maulik & Mr. P G Datta Ray.

22nd of June, 2009 World Music Day observed at Dementia Daycare center with persons with dementia & their carers and volunteers

25th of June, 2009 Training program with CMIG for students of Gerontology was held. A total of 13 students attended the program and was conducted by Nilanjana Maulik

27th June Awareness Program at B E Alumni Engineering College was held by Dr. Amitabha Ghosh, Nilanjana Maulik & P G Datta Ray. A total of 32 participants attended the meet.

 

July ‘09
19th of July at Agri-Horticultural society of India, Kolkata in association with Senior’s citizens’ forum of Alipore, a dementia awareness program was held. Dr. P K Pooviah was the speaker for the day who interacted with participants on Memory loss and diet. Total of 38 participated in the event.

 

 

 

 

August ‘09
On 28th of August, an awareness session was held at Visva Bharati, Santiniketan organized by the Study circle. Total of 37 Staff, students, members, alumni and other academicians attended the meet. The 3 part program included the medical lecture by Dr. N N Sarangi, the caregiving part by Mrs. Nilanjana Maulik and the Dementia as a social challenge by Mr. P G Datta Ray.

On the 30th of August, at the B E College Ex- students Union, Salt Lake a memory screening camp was organized. Dr. Amitabha Ghosh, Dr. Aparna Dutta and their team of professional conducted the screening. As many as 26 people were screened. Nilanjana Maulik & P G Datta were present on behalf of the society.

On the 31st of August an Awareness meet with Rotary metropolitan east was held a Nehru Children’s Museum. The meet was attended by 12 members of the club. Mr. P G Datta Ray delivered a 30 min lecture on Dementia Mission. The meeting was chaired by club president Rt. Dr. Shakuntala Chakraborty.

 

September
On the 3rd September a carer support group meet was arranged at Apollo Hospital. Speakers included Dr. Amitabha Ghosh, Nilanjana Maulik & Smt. Anjalika Ray.
The meet was attended by dementia family carers & their friends. Topics included dementia the disease, importance of early diagnosis, activities for dementia persons & practical day to day survival strategies for a carer.

On the 12th September, Noted Film personality Sri Soumitra Chatterjee joined the society as a “Friend of ARDSI”. He also visited the daycare center and filmed few shots as a dementia patient for the forthcoming publicity for ARDSI conference in December.

WAD program was observed as a mark for the 21st of September, world Alzheimer’s day.

September 14
Venue: Major branches of Axis Bank in Kolkata
No. of persons: 250+

Event Details: Day-long Dementia awareness campaign among customers and clients of the bank. ARDSI Calcutta volunteers camped at the important city branches of Axis Bank, interacted with their clients and customers on dementia, its imminent progression into an epidemic proportion, early signs, prevention steps, importance for early diagnosis, available care facilities in the city, etc. Awareness brochures, specially printed on the occasion, were distributed. The Axis Bank (eastern zone) extended full cooperation to make the awareness drive a success.

September 16
Venue: Nandan auditorium
No. of participants: 225
Event Details: World Alzheimer’s Day congregation.


City Mayor & Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay signing as Friend of ARDSI
Dr. Shyamal Sen felicitated

City mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, novelist Sirshendu Mukherjee, legendary film personality Soumitra Chatterjee and other eminent personalities, doctors, care givers and persons with dementia were present. Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee, former chief justice and a patron of ARDSI Calcutta, presided over the ceremony. Dr N. N. Sarangi, president of ARDSI Calcutta, in his WAD 2009 speech highlighted the need for ‘dementia solidarity’ to meaningfully tackle the dementia menace in the society. Guest speakers appreciated the endeavour of ARDSI Calcutta in the ‘fight for memory’. Mrs Nilanjana Maulik, secretary and director (dementia services) informed the gathering on the forthcoming ARDSI conference.
Founded on September 21, 1999, ARDSI Calcutta completes its first decade on this year’s World Alzheimer’s Day. On this memorable occasion, the members of its first Executive Board were felicitated at the September 16 congregation. Film personality Soumitra Chatterjee presented uttariya and bouquet to the members who started the dementia movement in eastern India 10 years ago.
A short feature film – Asampta – centering on a person with Alzheimer’s disease, was screened.

 

October
On the 10th Oct, observing the World Elder’s day, CMIG Elders day program was held at CMIG. It was organized by CMIG and entrusted by the members of Senior Research Academy. A lifetime achievement award was presented to Smt. Shefali Chaudhury in the individual category for her contribution to elder care. ARDSI Calcutta was also presented with the best organization award. The award was received by Nilanjana Maulik, secretary of ARDSI Calcutta.

From the 8-16th of September a Home Care training program was conducted by Karen MCcoy, SCC Australia with ARDSI Calcutta. Karen visited homes of patients and guided them in Home care. She also spent time at Daycare and interacted with families of daycare patients. Besides, she held workshops on Homecare at CMIG & Apollo Hospital.

On the 30th of October a Dementia care seminar was organized by HelpAge India and Nilanjana Maulik was invited as resource faculty for the event.

 

 

 

 

November
Preparation for ARDSICON09 was in full swing in the month of November.

The ARDSI Dementia DayCare center celebrated one year completion.
It is my privilege to place on record our sincere thanks for the hard work of the staff and good wishes/ donations of few individuals & trusts. The start of the centre and its functioning was possible but for their support. The Centre has attained its full capacity. A few photographs of life at the Daycare Centre have also been attached.

 

December
Annual Conference of ARDSI on the 4/5/6th of December at Hyatt Regency Kolkata .
Registered Delegates: 230 + 50 (Registered exclusively for Caregivers Training
Session). Representatives from all chapters of ARDSI participated in the conference.
Faculty: 12 international, 3 NRI, 12 national (from outside West Bengal) and 19 national (from West Bengal)

Inauguration
The three-day conference was formally inaugurated on December 4, Friday evening at about 5 pm. Dr Prabudhha Ghosh, president, Indian Medical Association, West Bengal, was the guest-in-chief. The guests-of-honour were Dr Daisy Acosta, chairman of Alzheimer’s Disease International, Dr K Jacob Roy, national chairman of ARDSI, Dr N N Sarangi, president of ARDSI Calcutta Chapter, Dr Trishit Roy, chairman, reception committee of ARDSICON 09, and Dr T K Banerjee, secretary of ARDSICON 09. Dr Ghosh inaugurated the Conference Souvenir, Dementia Solidarity. In the line of Alzheimer’s: The Mission continues, a memoir of a family care giver, Brig S. P. Bhattacharjya, was released by Dr. Daisy Acosta, Mrs Shefali Chowdhury and Dr Shyamal Sen. Another book, Understanding Dementia: Disease, Treatment & Care, a collection of articles on the basic issues of dementia penned by professionals and experts, and edited by Prof Shyamal Kumar Das, was launched by Dr K Jacob Roy and Dr N N Sarangi. Dr Anshu Sen rendered the inaugural song and also presented a bouquet of Rabindra Sangeet at the end of the inaugural session.

Discourse
The Scientific Sessions and Caregiving Sessions were held in parallel, sometimes merging in between for the Combined Sessions. Some of the foremost experts from across the world have brought their ideas and opinions to this meeting and have interacted with experts from our country.The conference provided the launching platform for the 10/66 Research Group in eastern part of India.

 

Some unique features of the Conference
• Theme of the Conference: The central theme of the Conference was DementiaSolidarity. This was intended to engage as many people and sectors as possible with
the urgent dementia mission, keeping in mind that tackling the ensuing dementia epidemic is a responsibility of the entire society. The aim of the conference, as
manifest by the choice of the theme, was to a great extent fulfilled with the participation of scientific and medical community, professional nurses/caregivers
family care givers, corporates, personalities from the field of art and culture, administrators, and common people. And most importantly, persons with dementia
and their family members also attended the conference and interacted with other delegates.

• Solidarity Session: To highlight the central theme of the conference, a special combined session, called Solidarity Session, was held on the second evening. Quite
unique in form and content, the session was attended by national and international faculty members, delegates, persons with dementia and their family members and other people standing in solidarity with the urgent dementia social mission. The session was graced by city mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya. In the session, ARDSI Calcutta, on completion of its first decade of existence, felicitated six persons for their dedication and contribution to the dementia mission.
Those who were felicitated were Mrs Nilanjana Maulik, secretary and director (dementia services) of ARDSI Calcutta, Dr Aparna Dutt, neuro-psychologist, Dr
Amitabha Ghosh, neurologist, Dr N N Sarangi, president of ARDSI Calcutta, Dr P K Pooviah, geriatrician, and Mr S K Mitra, president, Axis Bank (Eastern India). The noted personalities who handed over the felicitation plaques included ADI chairman Dr Daisy Acosta and ARDSI National chairman Dr K Jacob Roy. The session presented a charming instrumental musical – Taal Taranga – by physically challenged and differently able students of Manovikash Kendra.

• Social Forum: With the central theme of ARDSICON 09 reading “Dementia Solidarity”, the conference aimed to engage the entire society in the mission of tackling dementia, highlighting the grave social impacts of this menacing problem and the importance of combined effort to tackle the challenge.
Learn ’n Shop & Join Global Solidarity for Mind & Memory To offer every individual an enjoyable and instructive forum to get counted in the unfurling Memory Solidarity, there was a continuous and separate session – Social Forum – at Hyatt Regency. This session ran parallel to the other two sessions on medical/scientific issues and care giving issues. To be at the Social Forum, no formal registration was required. It was open for one and all.

Forum Navigation At the Social Forum, there was the specially designed ARDSI Calcutta Stall where one got to know the essentials of dementia and the movement that has been gathering pace worldwide to tackle this menace, through flexes, leaflets, brochures and books. There was a rich exhibition of some immortal creations by the eminent artists like Jogen Chodhury, Samir Aich, Katayun Saklat and many more. A host of artists from Santiniketan Kalabhavan had also made available their creations. As many as 34 renouned artists participated in the exhibition. Even children from different schools and institutions, like Patha Bhavan, Nehru Children’s Museum and Ankur, had all assembled in the Social Forum with their paintings and drawings to stand in solidarity with the elders for Memory. More than 100 artworks were on display.The Social Forum was inaugurated on the first day of the Conference by Soumitra Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta, eminent film personalities of Bengal, along with Dr Daisy Acosta, Dr K Jacob Roy and Dr N. N. Sarangi. The art exhibition of the Social Forum was sponsored by Hyatt Regency.
The carer training sponsored by HelpAge India. The conference ended with the crucial meeting on National Dementia Strategy.

9th of December – Visit of Jodie Mcginnis & Mr. Peter Mchale, SCC Visited to review the daycenter of ARDSI calcutta, its functioning, the daycare staff, the methods, the approaches, the safety issues etc.

18th of December – Dementia Daycare Picnic was arranged. Clients and their family members along with ARDSI staff attended the event.

January
An awareness & memory screening camp on the 16th Jan was conducted at the Department of Social Welfare, Viswas Bharati & The Elmhirst institute of Community Studies, Santiniketan. A total of 123 + audience attended the events chaired by Dr. N N Sarangi, and supported by Dr. Amitabha Ghosh, Dr. Aparna Dutta, Nilanjana Maulik, P G Datta Ray, Nibedita Roy, Avirup Adhikari, Pallavi Bhagav, Swapna Sucharita, Brig S P Bhattacharya who acted as resource persons for the event.

The Elmhirst institute an established NGO based in shnatiniketan and running its activities in villages in Birbhum district conducted the awareness & screening for its staff and members. A total of 35 persons screened themselves.

Dr. Kumkum Bhattacharya , HOD of Social Studies where the awareness program was held proposed to hold workshops for the students of the department in screening & caregiving.
Both the organizations showed interest in being engaged in Early Diagnosis of the rural population and take the dementia cause into the yet untouched territory of rural Bengal.

5 days Dementia Care Training (Jan 25 & 27-30) funded by HelpAge India was conducted at Ankur. A total of 13 participants attended the program. Ms. Ranjana Mondal, Mr. P G Datta Ray, Mrs. Nilanjana Maulik, Brig. S P Bhattacharya & Mrs. Diplai Pati acted as resource persons for the program.

 

February 2010
Sri Sunil Gavaskar joined the society as a “ Friend of ARDSI”. He was introduced to society work by Dr. N N Sarangi and briefed on Dementia.

13th Feb -Awareness program – The Theme was “To err is human, to forgive divine” at EZCC, salt lake at National Meet for Women in Public Sector. Nilanjana Maulik, Secretary of ARDSI Calcutta attended and delivered a lecture on how the theme was relevant to Dementia Caregiving. The audience comprised of Women from all over India in various public sector undertakings. The total number of audience was 567. The other noted Speakers for the session was Dr. Trishit Roy, Dr. T K Banerjee & Dr. Atanu Biswas.

15th of February –Awareness session at National Conference for Geriatrics & Gerontology at Netaji Day college – Dr. N N Sarangi on Dementia as a Epdemic.

 

March 2010
6th march an awareness program on Dementia with Rotary club of Calcutta Victoria at HHI. Attended by the 23 club members and guests. Vocational Award presented to Nilanjana Maulik.

18th of March
Memory screening camp at HelpAge India, Chetla Old Home. 10 people screened, 2 were suggested further assessment.

25th March a One day Dementia family carer sensitizing program at CMIG, NISD program.

54 carers- family as well as professional participated in the program. It was supported by Anjana Sen in Nursing care, Dr. Aparna Dutta with her team in Memory screening, Dr. Manas Kumar Chakraborty in Physiotherapy, Mrs. Dipali Pati in Carer Stress management and Nilanjana Maulik in Effective communication in Dementia Care.

Memory Clinics
Total of 6 Memory clinics at ARDSI Calcutta office was operated in the year April 2009-March 2010. Total number of 22 patients screened & treated by Dr. Amitabha Ghosh & Dr. Aparna Dutt.

Home Visit & counseling:
Total 87 families have approached with their different queries and request for counseling throughout the year, 43 subjects among them along with their care givers have received counseling at their residence.

Attendance. Mrs Nilanjana Maulik, Director (Dementia Services), Ms Anjana Sen, Principal of
Apollo Nursing College and Executive Member of ARDSI Calcutta, and Ms Roy provided the
training.
A home visit was conducted by Ms Roy and Ms Sen for counseling a spouse who takes care of
her husband suffering from dementia.
US Consulate at Kolkata organized a health fair every year to get free health check up and
interactive health awareness for staff members. Like last year this year also ARDSI Calcutta has got an invitation to participate there for the day long programme on 30th March. A free stall
was provided by them. Programme coordinator of the chapter attended the stall with
awareness materials and movies. Six staff members went through the MMSE test battery.
This year ARDSI Calcutta Memory Clinic was attended by 16 persons, who were referred by
Junior Neurologists or General Medical Practitioners or came to know from our website and
publications about the clinic. Some of them started attending our daycare centres.
President Secretary
ARDSI Calcutta Chapter ARDSI Calcutta Chapter

ARDSI Calcutta Chapter
Annual Report (April 1, 2010 – March 31, 2011)
P G Datta Ray, Secretary
(Presented at the 12th AGM of ARDSI Calcutta Chapter)
Respected Chair and Hon’ble Members of ARDSI Calcutta Chapter,
I feel privileged and humbled for the opportunity given to me to serve the Society and the
urgent dementia mission as Secretary of ARDSI Calcutta. In placing the Annual Report of
Activities for the year 2010‐2011, let me express my sincere gratitude to all members of the
Society, and volunteers and assignment holders of the organization. We are also thankful to
various organizations, corporates, pharmaceutical companies and individuals across the society
who have made a significant difference to the urgent cause of tackling dementia.
Before presenting the resume of the activities and service provision during the year under
review, I like to point out some very important developments that took place during this time
and a few even after the year closed. Arguably the most significant development since last AGM
and till date is the opening of the second specialized dementia daycare centre of ARDSI
Calcutta. Last Wednesday (July 27, 2011), ARDSI Calcutta Dementia Daycare & Research Centre
was inaugurated at Salt Lake in the presence of Mrs Shefali Choudhuri, Dr N N Sarangi and
many others, including many dignitaries, local people, persons with dementia, family care
givers, members, volunteers and assignment holders. The centre will start functioning from
tomorrow (August 1, 2011) and is expected to fill a long‐felt gap in care provision in Salt Lake,
North Kolkata and its adjacent places. I seek your blessings for the success of this new
endeavour.
Another important development is the launch of ARDSI Calcutta Hall of Doctors, which was
inaugurated simultaneously with the Salt Lake Centre. The Hall is a platform for doctors and
medical scientists to foster closer academic and professional relation between the medical and
scientific community and the care giver community. Because of the very nature of the disease,
a successful management strategy for dementia calls for a holistic approach, combining the
pharmacological and care giving interventions and attending to the problems and requirements
simultaneously of both the person with dementia and the primary or family care giver. This is
possible only when various stakeholders join hands with a common mission. We have been
trying various ways to forge such a broad social platform in the name of Memory Solidarity or
Dementia Solidarity. The Hall of Doctors is another incarnation of this developing grand
solidarity.
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From the very beginning, ARDSI Calcutta is privileged with valuable participation of the medical
community. So, we believe the newly formed ARDSI Calcutta Hall of Doctors will go a long way
in making the holistic dementia mission a success and, in the process, leave a mark of
difference in our way of tackling dementia.
Significantly, we have started the exercise of annual budgeting. The maiden Budget of ARDSI
Calcutta, that pertaining to 2011‐12, was adopted by the outgoing Executive Committee, and
the exercise is aimed at thorough planning, strategizing, and disciplining the Society’s activities.
The Budget has tried to address various strategic issues and develop a perspective development
strategy through identifying strategic instruments, besides presenting the income ‐ & ‐
expenditure plan for 2011‐12.
We hired the professional service of a firm to cause Internal Audit of various aspects of the
Society’s financials and related matters with a view to scrutinizing and strengthening due
diligence and other procedural mechanisms. These issues are turning out to be more and more
important as the organization gets larger.
We also need to formally address various issues relating to assignment holders and volunteers,
ethics and conflict resolution, relationship / engagement with other organizations which may
come up to provide dementia services in the same geographical market as catered to by ARDSI
Calcutta and overall administrative efficiency.
Now, I shall present a brief account of the activities and services undertaken and provided by
the Society during 2010‐11.
Our Loss:
During last year, we lost our past president and advisor Dr Shyamal Sen, long‐time member Mrs
Bani Lal and Deepike Choudhuri, daughter of our founder member Mrs Shefali Choudhuri. We
pay deepest respect to the departed souls.
And we welcom:
During the year Mr Naseeruddin Shah, Dr Nabaneeta Dev Sen and Dr Indrani Chakravarty
became Friends of ARDSI Calcutta, while Mr Lokesh Kumar Ray, Mrs Alpana Ghosh, Mrs
Anuradha Bhattacharya, Dr Neelanjana Paul, Mr Birendranath Mitra, Mrs Suranjana Sen, Mrs
Purnima Bhattacharjee, Dr Champa Mitra, Mrs Mridula Datta, Ms Somi Banerjee, Dr Trinanjan
Sarangi, Mrs Bulu Mitra, Mr Biswajit Basu, Mrs Mala Mukherjee Ghosh and Dr Indrani
Chakravarty became members of the Society. We welcome all.
Awareness and Advocacy:
During the period under review, ARDSI Calcutta participated in as many as 14 Dementia
awareness and advocacy meets / presentations. The awareness meets / presentations were
organised by Saptaparni Housing Society, Indian Psychiatric Society (West Bengal), AMRI
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Hospital (Dhakuria), Cancer Centre Welfare Home and Research Institute at Thakurpukur,
Sherwood Housing Complex at Narendrapur, ARDSI Calcutta at Rotary Sadan (Morning Session
of the WAD 2010 Congregation on September 16), Rotary Club of Calcutta Elgin and All India
Women’s Commission, Jyotirmoyee (self‐help group of women), Woodlands College of Nursing,
Rotary Club of Inner City, Sova Rani Nursing College (affiliated to KPC Medical College &
Hospital), Santiniketan Dementia Group (as part of ARDSI Calcutta Outreach Programme),
Rajnigandha Ladies Club and Club de Ville.
On the occasion of the second mid‐term CME on 14‐16 May 2010, organized by Indian
Psychiatric Society, ARDSI Calcutta held an awareness stall. A similar stall was organized during
the Pujas on invitation from the Moore Avenue Puja Committee to raise community awareness.
Dr. N N Sarangi, Dr Amitabha Ghosh, Mrs. Nilanjana Maulik, Brig (Retd) S P Bhattacharjya, and
Mr. P G Datta Ray took part in awareness presentations and lectures.
Memory Screening:
During the period under review, two memory screening camps were arranged, one at Rotary
Sadan as part of the WAD 2010 congregation and the other at Santiniketan as part of ARDSI
Calcutta Outreach Programme. As many as 25 persons got registered for the screening at
Rotary Sadan on September 16, 2010, which was conducted by Dr. Aparna Dutt, Ms. Ranita
Nandi and Ms. Swapna Sucharita. At the Santiniketan camp on March 6, 2011, 24 persons were
screened.
Memory Clinic:
As many as 6 memory clinics were held where 23 persons with dementia (14 men + 9 women)
were assessed by the experts. 2 old cases were also reviewed. The clinics were conducted by Dr
Amitabha Ghosh, HoD, Neurology, Apollo Gleanegles Hospital, and Dr Aparna Dutt, neuropsychiatrist.
Care Counseling:
Mrs. Nilanjana Maulik, MMHS, Director (Services) of ARDSI Calcutta, has been thoroughly
engaged in care counseling, undertaking home visits (53), counseling at office (32) and over
phone and email at a brisk pace. Caregiving advices are being supplied in writing wherever
necessary.
Training:
After one in January 2010, another 5‐day dementia care training course was conducted from
August 31 – September 4, 2010 at the daycare centre at Ankur. As many as 34 candidates
attended and were given certificates. This time the Nursing College at Apollo Gleneagles
Hospital made an important contribution by providing CPR training to the candidates.
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Carer Support:
While support for primary care givers is provided on a continuous basis through counseling,
training and daycare centre, a formal carer support group meeting was held on July 24 at Apollo
Gleneagles Hospital. Dr. Amitabha Ghosh and Mrs. Nilanjana Maulik interacted with five
families caring for their dear ones with dementia. Two carer support meets were held at
Santiniketan and the Daycare Centre at Ankur on November 30, 2010 and December 16, 2010,
respectively.
Daycare Centre:
The daycare centre at ANKUR has been functioning successfully. During the period under
review 16 persons with dementia were catered to. As many as 1198 care days were generated
without any incident of breach of safety and/or dissatisfaction of the persons we are caring for
and their families.
Dr. P K Pooviah, geriatrician, has been paying visits once a month to attend to the medical
issues of the persons being cared for. The daycare centre is a happy happening place each and
every day, and more so on days when the daycare family indulges in songs and dances and tasty
food to observe occasions like Bengali New Year’s Day, Rabindra Jayanti, Independence Day,
Holi, Diwali, picnic, birthdays of the persons with Dementia being cared for and various others.
All these special days are organized to infuse positive energy and happiness to their minds and
facilitate their social involvement. Family care‐givers are also invited to participate. Volunteers
and invited artists present various cultural programmes on these occasions.
Publication:
ARDSI Calcutta has published a book – “Dementiay Paricharjya”. Edited by Mrs. Nilanjana
Maulik, this book is the first in‐depth care guide in Bengali. The book was unveiled by noted
littareteur Nabaneeta Dev Sen at the Solidarity session of the WAD 2010 congregation on
September 16.
World Alzheimer’s Day 2010:
This year’s World Alzheimer’s Day theme was “Dementia: It’s Time for Action”. Throughout the
month of September, we have conducted meaningful activities to commemorate WAD 2010,
which included (i) caregiver training, (ii) awareness campaign, (iii) almost a day‐long
congregation comprising three sessions viz. Dementia Awareness, Dementia Screening and
Dementia Solidarity, (iv) Caregivers’ day and (v) a very special occasion in which we had the
honour of hosting internationally acclaimed reminiscence therapy expert Pam Schweitzer, MBE,
who conducted two workshops on September 28 and 29 at the daycare centre and Apollo
Gleneagles auditorium respectively.
On the occasion of WAD 2010, we are honoured to have Naseeruddin Shah, Nabaneeta Dev Sen
and Dr. Indrani Chakraborty as our new Friends.
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Dementia Summit:
A very important development of the year is the launch of the first country report on Dementia,
called “Dementia India”, at the two‐day National Dementia Summit in New Delhi on September
20 and 21, which was organized by ARDSI National. Led by Dr. Sarangi, ARDSI Calcuttta was
represented by Dr. S K Das, Mrs. Nilanjana Maulik, Mr. Mukesh Mirchandani and Mr. P G Datta
Ray, all of whom were faculty members of the conference.
NISD Review Meeting:
Mrs. Nilanjana Maulik attended the NISD review meeting for eastern India in Bhubaneswar in
September and forcefully advocated dementia cause and the support required by ARDSI
Calcutta in pursuit of the urgent cause.
Research & Study:
The documentation of the activities we undertake and services we provide have been steadily
improving. We are eminently in a position to initiate socio‐scientific study and research. We
need to draw a concrete plan in this respect and make a beginning. Dr S K Das has been
encouraging us with his willingness to get involved in such projects.
Memory Walk 2011: Special Event
ARDSI Calcutta organised Memory Walk 2011 on January 9 from Eden Gardens to Town Hall.
The Walk, which was flagged off by Mr Goutam Mohan Chakraborty, the then Kolkata Police
chief, is aimed at raising mass awareness about the old‐age neuro‐psychiatric disease
Dementia and ventilate the voice of the senior citizens inflicted by the disease and their care
givers.
The Walk, which is going to be an annual event, was participated by, among others, persons
with Dementia and their family care givers, representatives of various social organizations like
National Association for Blind, Pronam, students from schools in the city and eminent
personalities like Gen Shankar Roychowdhuri, Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee, litterateur
Shirshendu Mukherjee, film personalities Aparajita Ghosh Das, Atanu Ghosh and many others.
The participants, numbering over 250, walked the way with plackards in their hands and
Tagore’s songs on their lips.
At the historic Town Hall, the Dementia Solidarity Congregation adopted a historic “Citizens’
Charter on Dementia Solidarity”, the first of its kind in India, urging all sections of the society
and, specifically, the Union, state and local governments to make Dementia a health and social
care priority and support the urgent social cause of holistic tackling of the disease, which,
according to the World Health Organisation, is fast rushing to hit the world in a devastating
proportion of epidemic.
The first comprehensive country report on Dementia, “Dementia India”, brought out by the
national platform ARDSI, was also formally released in Kolkata on the occasion.
Page6
The Town Hall congregation was echoed by three songs rendered by a person with Dementia,
magnificently showing that even if
Dementia tends to take away mind, memory, cognitive faculties and the ability to perform
even daily activities, proper care, love and empathy can sustain the inner worth of a person
and give him a better quality of life for a long time.
With the demented population hovering around 3.7 million in the country, ARDSI Calcutta
strives to ensure enough care and support to the persons with Dementia and their families
through its daycare centre, care counseling, home care assistance programmes as also raise
social awareness, train specialised caregivers and prompt the society to show dignity and
respect to the elders with Dementia and know how to live with Dementia.
Media Coverage:
So far it has been a pretty good time so far as media coverage is concerned with ARDSI Calcutta
and its activities commanding a sizeable space and airtime in print, electronic and radio media.
The Telegraph, The Statesman, Hindustan Times, Times of India, Ananda Bazar Patrika, Pratidin,
Saptahik Bartaman, Doordarshan Bangla, R‐Plus Channel, Kolkata TV, Tara News and AIR Bangla
have all made good coverages.
Advocacy:
A move has been taken to get a Dementia Appeal signed. We also have made Mementos for
doctors whom we are going to meet and request to appropriately heed the need of care giving.
Fund Raising:
This is one area where much remains to be done and more members remain to actively
participate. Till date, our funds almost entirely depend on membership fees, ad hoc voluntary
donations and sponsorships. We need to broad‐base funding sources.
What we need is a long‐term participative relation with and steady flow of funding from a large
base of sources. We have plethora of projects defined and lined up, for which funding is the
most important challenge to be addressed.
Project Plan:
During 2010‐11, two major projects are at the planning stage. We were trying to start another
specialized Dementia daycare centre in and around Kolkata. Some headway was made and the
Executive Committee constituted an empowered body to plan and implement the project. The
main challenge was funds, which we needed to overcome. The project has now been
inaugurated. However, funds continue to remain the biggest challenge and over‐riding concern
for the success of the project in the days to come.
Page7
Another important project that we have been following up is the ARDSI Calcutta Outreach
Programme in collaboration with the Santiniketan Dementia Group. We need to spread the
mission of tackling Dementia across the state.
ARDSI Calcutta attaches special value to its long‐standing collaborative relationship with
Southern Cross Care, WA. The Society is committed to expanding this relationship and get
benefited as much as possible. A perspective plan of collaboration should be drawn up in areas
of mutual interest. Let me place on record our most sincere thanks and gratitude to Southern
Cross Care for all its valuable participation and generous support.
Special Visits:
During the year special persons from overseas who visited ARDSI Calcutta include Pamela
Schweitzer, MBE, an internationally acclaimed reminiscence therapy expert, and her husband
Mr Allex Schweitzer, both from Scotland, Father Detienne from Belgium, and Gratiane, a
professional photographer from France, with special interest in the world of elders.
Conclusion:
I like to conclude by requesting and begging more defined participation of the members. We
want you to question us, criticize us, advise us and lead us ahead. We want you to play a
positive role in the activities of the Society. Please arrange awareness sessions and memory
screening camps, take us to different strata of the society by utilizing your connections, make
more members and spread the mission, make generation donation as and when you can, help
us raise funds and help us in any way you feel convenient. Make us feel that the 195‐odd
members of the Society are constantly with us, really with us.
We have come past 2010‐11. More than a quarter of the current year has also passed. And if
we ponder, we’ll find there are more things to be done than those already done. We have the
ablest stewardship in our president Dr N N Sarangi. We have the ablest caring resource in Mrs
Nilanjana Maulik. We have the most sincere members from across the society with us and some
most dedicated volunteers and assignment holders. More capable individuals of distinction are
joining the Society whose contribution will be counted on. Most of all, we enjoy the trust of the
family care givers and the most beautiful love bestowed by those who we care for. So, we have
the reason to be excited and look forward to the days to come with ambition.
With this words, I now beg leave of the Chair, Sir, to commend this Annual Report for discussion
by the august General Body of the Society and its subsequsnt adoption with / without
amendment(s).
P. G. Datta Ray
Secretary, ARDSI Calcutta

Activity Report: 2011-12
ARDSI Calcutta Chapter
The year 2011‐12 was buzzing with activities for ARDSI Calcutta. The Chapter was awarded the
Best Chapter Award for the year by ARDSI National. Mrs Nilanjana Maulik, Director (Services) of
ARDSI Calcutta, became Secretary General of ARDSI National. On World Elders Day, Mrs Maulik
was felicitated by Dignity Foundation. Secretary of ARDSI Calcutta Chapter, Mr P G Datta Ray
was awarded “Vocational Exellence Award, 2011” by Rotary Club of Kolkata Elgin. Another
hallmark of the activities was opening of Santiniketan Outreach of ARDSI Calcutta – Paricharjya
(a Bengali word meaning ‘care giving’), which is expected to complete the procedure of
registration by 2013.
Chronological Activity Index:
HelpAge India Project on Sensitization & Screening at SCAs
“Dementia Sensitisation & Memory Screening: At Old‐Age Homes and Senior Citizens’
Associations”, is a National‐level collaborative endeavour between ARDSI National and HelpAge
India. ARDSI Calcutta Chapter has been entrusted with the responsibility to implement the
Project in its command area.
As many as 23 old‐age homes and senior citizens’ associations in and around Kolkata were
contacted for conducting the Project. Of these, 8 organizations could provide us time for the
purpose during May‐June 2011.
Dementia sensitization drive under the Project was successful. The tools used were very much
effective and the audience could relate to them. But not many people tend to show interest in
getting screened for dementia. This may be caused by some unknown fear and personal and
social taboos, which we need to counteract through continued interaction.
Out of the 195 persons screened on MMSE scale, 20 were found below their respective cut‐off
scores. The persons found to be having some cognitive deficits have been advised to undergo
further assessment. ARDSI Calcutta is in touch with the individuals / organizations concerned to
help them avail of further assessment facilities at the ARDSI Calcutta Memory Clinic or
otherwise.
The second project, in collaboration with HelpAge India was intimated to us in the second half
of February and in one and half months period we could visit 8 OAH/SCAs, where a total 162
persons were screened and we found 1 person who was already diagnosed with Dementia
(Chronic Alcoholic), 6 persons who scored very low and need detailed assessment prior to
medical intervention, and 12 participants who could not complete the MMSE test as they were
suffering from depression or other psychiatric illnesses.
Our Director(Services) Mrs Nilanjana Maulik was invited to Mumbai as Faculty for the
Caregiver’s training Programme organized by ARDSI Greater Mumbai and Silver Inning
Foundation from 6th to 8th May.

27 July, 2011: Daycare centre at Salt Lake inaugurated
It is a matter of pride and pleasure to inform all concerned that the second specialised
dementia daycare centre of ARDSI Calcutta was inaugurated on July 27, 2011 at a simple
ceremony at EC 178, Sector I, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 064 (premises of the Centre).
Mrs Shefali Choudhuri graced the occasion by being present at the inauguration. The opening
of the daycare centre at Salt Lake is a major milestone on its expansion path. We have been
able to reach this milestone because of the devoted service rendered by the assignment
holders and volunteers and help, support and encouragement from the members of the
Society, well‐wishers across the society and socially inclined individuals and organisations.
ARDSI Calcutta is solemnly grateful to all of them.
The centre was expected to play a central role in offering various dementia services to the
people in northern part of Kolkata and its outskirts as well as in organising the Society’s
activities in those areas, as the first daycare centre of ARDSI Calcutta is doing in the southern
part of the city.
During the year 2011‐12, 37 persons with dementia attended daycare centres of ARDSI
Calcutta and generated a total of 1,817 care days.
The connection with Southern Cross Care was rejuvenated in a big way this year under
review. Ms Janet Farrell, Manager, High Dependency Care, Southern Cross Care, Western
Australia, visited ARDSI Calcutta from August 8 to 17, 2011. As part of her programmes with
ARDSI Calcutta, two Carer Meets were organized – one on 13th August at Salt Lake Daycare
Centre and another on 22nd August at Jadavpur Daycare Centre which were attended by 23
family carers and professional carers of ARDSI Calcutta. She had conducted a two‐day carer
training “Level – II” for ARDSI Calcutta staff and others interested in direct care or care
counseling for the persons with dementia and their family members. Along with Mrs Maulik,
Ms Janet visited Santiniketan and conducted another two‐day dementia care training for the
members of Paricharjya, an outreach programme of ARDSI Calcutta. She also visited Apollo
Gleneagles College of Nursing and Calcutta Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology to train their
students on dementia care.
On 2 Sept, 2011 Mr P G Datta Ray and Mrs Nilanjana Maulik were invited by the Secretary,
Dept of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of West Bengal to submit a plan for a Public Private
Partnership Project. Later on, the proposal was submitted to the government for their
consideration.
18 Sept, 2011: WAD Congregation at community Hall EC Block, Salt Lake
ARDSI Calcutta successfully observed WAD 2011 and the Alzheimer’s Awareness Week through
a grand participation of persons with dementia, family care givers, doctors, people at large,
media and members, volunteers and assignment holders of the Society.
The main programme was held on September 18. This time it was organised at the Community
Hall near the new Dementia Daycare Centre of ARDSI Calcutta in Salt Lake, which started
functioning in August. The programme started with a musical presentation performed by the
persons with dementia who regularly attend our daycare service and the care givers of ARDSI
Calcutta.

ARDSI Calcutta presented a well‐participated seminar‐cum‐interaction on “Management of
Dementia: Towards a Holistic Approach”. Neurologist Dr Amitabha Ghosh, psychiatrist Dr
Jyotirmoy Samajder, geriatrician Dr P K Pooviah and dementia care expert Mrs Nilanjana Maulik
were the main speakers. The seminar focused the need for integration of pharmacological and
care interventions to achieve the optimum result in management of dementia. In the WAD
2011 Congregation, Mr Priti Gopal Datta Ray, secretary and director (policy & programme),
delivered ARDSI Calcutta WAD 2011 Speech. In the Speech he explained this year’s theme
“Faces of Dementia” and appealed to the government to draft a policy on dementia
management and provide support to build up a strong social care capacity to fight dementia.
Celebrating the spirit of care and honouring the faces of dementia (the theme of this year’s
World Alzheimer’s Day), ARDSI Calcutta felicitated Brig. S P Bhattacharjya, a family care giver
and author of “In the line of Alzheimer’s: The mission continues”, and Nilav Maulik, a child who
volunteers his time at the daycare centres, and both of whom have shown love and care to the
persons with dementia and taken keen interest in furthering the NGO mission of holistic
management of the mind‐crippling disease.
This year media involvement was really appreciable. A list is furnished here:
• Kolkata A of All India Radio September 21 A Short speech by Mr P G Datta Ray
• FM Rainbow of All India Radio September 21 Morning telecast – Discussion on dementia
– attended by Mrs Nilanjana Maulik
• Mahuya Khabor September 21 Day‐long awareness,
(A popular Bengali TV Channel) Live phone‐in programme hosting
Dr Amitabha Ghosh, neurologist 8–9 am,
& Open Forum 8–9 pm,
Discussion on Dementia a recorded
programme was telecasted on the same
day, Dr. J Samajdar, Dr A Ghosh and Mrs
Maulik took part in the discussion.
• Kolkata A of All India Radio September 23 1.45 pm (Mohila Mahal) – Mrs Maulik
• Kolkata A of All India Radio September 25 6.50 am (Aamar Swasthya) – Mr Datta Ray
• Print Media: Bartaman (Bengali daily) published two articles on September 22, 2011, one by
Mr P G Datta Ray and another by Mrs Alpana Ghosh, a former primary carer and life
member of our chapter. A dementia awareness display published prominently in The Times
of India on September 21. The Statesman and Rajasthan Patrika also carried articles / news
items.
On September 24, ARDSI Calcutta, in collaboration with Rotary Club of South Point, conducted
an awareness presentation and memory screening at Kossipore in north Kolkata. 13 persons
undertook memory screening.
On October 3rd Mrs Maulik attended the International Seminar organized by Alzheimer’s
Association, Bangladesh, in Dacca as the representative of ARDSI National.
4
The visit by Ms Merrilee Hart, HR Consultant, SCC (WA) Inc. from November 1 – 9, 2011 was
another gain for ARDSI Calcutta this year.
On the basis of a detailed note made available at the meeting, Nilanjana and PG described the
current HR situation with ARDSI Calcutta, the problems facing it, some generic and some
specific in nature, and the questions they wish to find answer to. Merrilee discussed the HR
issues and explained the way an integrated HR Policy can be structured. She provided ARDSI
Calcutta with SCC documents relating to HR Policy and procedures.
On November 4, the Executive Committee had a special sitting at the Daycare Centre at Salt
Lake to felicitate Merrilee. Dr N N Sarangi, President, Dr Indrani Chakravarty, Vice‐President, Mr
P G Datta Ray, Secretary, Mr B Basu, Treasurer, Brig S P Bhattacharjya and Mrs Nilanjana
Maulik, both Members, spoke on the valuable strategic collaboration with SCC (WA) Inc. and
thanked Merrilee and other staff members of SCC for supporting the initiatives of ARDSI
Calcutta. The President handed over a felicitation plaque to Merrilee on behalf of the
organization.
In response, Merrilee thanked ARDSI Calcutta for its hospitality and made a short presentation
on how SCC can support ARDSI Calcutta in the future.
Merrilee’s visit has been of immense benefit for ARDSI Calcutta by way of initiating the
preparation of an integrated HR Policy.
ARDSI Calcutta is delighted to find the opportunity to show to the staff of SCC the progress that
we are making and the real difference that their support is making to this progress.
On December 10, a carer meet was organized by the chapter at their Jadavpur Daycare Centre
to discuss the problems the primary carers are facing and the way out. Families of daycare
clients and other three family carers attended the meeting and shared their experience among
themselves. This was conducted by our Director (Services) and the special guest was Ms Claire
Betts, former primary carer from London, who was visiting Kolkata during those days and
shared her experience with our carers. The feelings and experiences were almost same across
the world. It was again established that awareness is much needed and primary carers need
moral support and respite to rejuvenate themselves, which could be provided by social
organizations, daycare centres, etc.
11 Dec, 2011: Guwahati visit by Nilanjana Maulik
Guwahati gears up to provide, in a structured way, care and support to the persons with
Dementia and their family care givers. There has been a long‐felt need for such a service
structure in Assam and other north‐eastern states of India. Guwahati takes the first step in that
direction. ARDSI Calcutta whole‐heartedly welcomes the endeavour and pledges all possible
support to make the effort a grand success.
To mark the start of this noble endeavour towards launching the Assam Chapter of Alzheimer’s
& Related Disorders Societies of India, on December 11, 2011, a Dementia awareness
symposium was held at Downtown Hospital, where Mrs Nilanjana Maulik, Director (Services)
spoke on care givers’ role.

17 Dec, 2011: Picnic
On Saturday, December 17, 2011, ARDSI
Calcutta organized PICNIC 2011.
Picnic is an annual event, organized by the
daycare centres of the Chapter as an activity
of the persons with dementia, primary care
givers and the organisation’s members,
volunteers and assignment holders.
This year, the event was more important for reasons more than one.
PICNIC 2011 gave us the opportunity to celebrate the National Best Chapter Award and
felicitate a wonderful volunteer carer who came all the way from England. Also, for the first
time in the journey of the Calcutta Chapter, the End‐of‐year message from the Chapter’s
President, Dr N N Sarangi, was released on the day. The Message is a critical evaluation of 2011
performance and valuable advice for 2012.
Besides these, the natural elements of a Picnic were all present there: food, fiesta, friendship,
fun and funda! Persons with Dementia showed their hidden talents. Same for the primary
carers. Our members, volunteers, assignment holders also took part in a rich cultural
extravaganza full of songs, recitation, dance and much more. A professional team presented
captivating Baul songs (Bengali folk song genre).
On December 17 and 18, 2012 the chapter participated in a handloom, handicraft fair
organized by Thikana, another NGO. There was a small stall from ARDSI Calcutta, from where
we could distribute awareness brochures, books and other merchandises.
Santiniketan Poush Mela is one of the biggest cultural festivals in Bengal in Tagore tradition.
Parcharjya, a confluence of enthusiasm to offer various services in Santiniketan and adjacent
areas in pursuit of the urgent dementia mission, organized a grand dementia awareness Stall
at the Poush Mela from 23 to 26 December. A few organizations, including the Social Welfare
department of Visva Bharati, came forward in collaboration in this grand awareness campaign.
Paricharjya, a very important Outreach programme of ARDSI Calcutta, participated in the Stall
with important awareness posters, books, brocheures and memory merchandises. The
Secretary and Director (Policy & Programme) and the Programme Coordinator of ARDSI
Calcutta have been visiting Santiniketan, powering the administrative efforts of Paricharjya and
attending visitors at the Stall.
ARDSI Calcutta is proud to co‐host the 2nd Teaching Course in Cognitive Neurology. Organized
by the World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Aphasia and Cognitive Disorders
(WFN RGACD), and supported by the Indian Academy of Neurology, the Course was held at
the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kolkata on 6 and 7 January, 2012. The other co‐hosts of the
programme were Association of Neuroscientist of Eastern India (ANEI) and cognitive neurology
unit of Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata. An eminent faculty of speakers, from home and
abroad, took part in the Teaching Course in cognitive neurology.

Out of the total delegates, almost 65 per
cent were students and junior doctors, who
are the principal targets and beneficiaries of
this course. “Each presentation provoked so
many questions that we are in a real
difficulty to stick to our programme
schedule,” a smiling Dr Amitabha Ghosh
said. His smile stands testimony to the
success of the event.
As the varsity vibrated in the conference halls with speakers and audience deeply wrapped in
various medical thoughts and therapies, the stall of ARDSI Calcutta also experienced a large
number of footfalls with the representatives of the medical community evincing serious
interest in the psycho‐social intervention in dementia. A number of eminent neurologists and
psychologists became member of ARDSI Calcutta Hall of Doctors, a distinguished group which
will endeavour to administer interactive and comprehensive dementia management therapy.
On 15 Jan, 2012 a workshop was organized by Eastern Zonal Psychological Association which
was addressed by Mrs Nilanjana Maulik about the care giving part of the disease.
On the same day Maymansingha Sammelani invited our President Dr N N Sarangi to deliver a
speech to spread awareness on Dementia at their annual ceremony at Triguna Sen Hall, in
Jadavpur University.
On 23 Jan, 2012 a Caregiver meet was organized by Novartis, which was addressed by Mrs
Nilanjana Maulik
Rotary Club of Katwa, invited ARDSI Calcutta to take part in the Swasthya Mela organized by
them at Katwa, a small town in the district of Burdwan, from 23rd to 26th January, 2012.
The three‐day programme was attended by
Mr P G Datta Ray, Secretary and Director
(Policy & Programme), Nibedita Roy,
Programme Coordinator and Nabanita Roy,
Volunteer. Besides distribution of
awareness brochures from the designated
stall, individual and group discussions were
held on the issue of dementia. On the
whole, we believe, a good amount of
primary awareness was generated among
the common mass.
Our secretary made a short presentation at the seminar hall and called upon people of Katwa to
come forward to open a dementia unit, in which ARDSI Calcutta will provide all possible help
and support. As many as 13 persons undertook memory screening test.

Our Secretary was invited by Bengali TV Channel Tara News in a live phone‐in programme on
16th January and 20th February.
Caregivers’ Training (supported by NISD, New Delhi) took place from 13 to 17 February. This
was participated by 35 trainees not only from the city, but from the other districts. Most of
them were nursing students from different nursing colleges.
During the month of February the radio talk in the Kolkta A Channel of All India Radio by our
President spread a mass awareness among the people living in different districts of West
Bengal.
On 13th March an awareness programme was held by Dept of Home Science of Calcutta
University, where Nilanjana Maulik & one our esteemed life member Dr P K Pooviah, a
renowned geriatrician attended as speakers.
13‐15 March, 2012: Santiniketan MoU signing & training
ARDSI Calcutta Chapter and Paricharjya, its Santiniketan outreach, entered a Memorandum of
Understanding on March 13, 2012, at Santiniketan. The MoU was signed by the Presidents of
the two organizations, Dr N N Sarangi and Mrs Keya Sarkar.
The MoU outlines the content and mechanism of joint journey of the two organizations in
realizing the common mission of holistic tackling of dementia. The social endeavour is expected
to meet a long‐felt need of providing care and support to the persons with dementia and their
family care‐givers in and around Santiniketan. Paricharjya will also undertake various projects
to raise mass awareness, ensure early diagnosis and provide training in specialized dementia
care.
As the nodal dementia platform in West Bengal, ARDSI Calcutta has promised to support
Paricharjya in every possible way. Signing of the MoU was followed by an awareness session
conducted by Mr P G Datta Ray and Ms Nibedita Roy. The session was attended by a large
contingent of local people. After the awareness session, a memory screening session was held.
Ms Roy applied MMSE battery on the persons who registered for screening to assess their
memory health.
On the next two days, March 14 and 15, a comprehensive training in specialized dementia care
was organized. As many as 28 persons attended the course and were given Certificates of

Attendance. Mrs Nilanjana Maulik, Director (Dementia Services), Ms Anjana Sen, Principal of
Apollo Nursing College and Executive Member of ARDSI Calcutta, and Ms Roy provided the
training.
A home visit was conducted by Ms Roy and Ms Sen for counseling a spouse who takes care of
her husband suffering from dementia.
US Consulate at Kolkata organized a health fair every year to get free health check up and
interactive health awareness for staff members. Like last year this year also ARDSI Calcutta has
got an invitation to participate there for the day long programme on 30th March. A free stall
was provided by them. Programme coordinator of the chapter attended the stall with
awareness materials and movies. Six staff members went through the MMSE test battery.
This year ARDSI Calcutta Memory Clinic was attended by 16 persons, who were referred by
Junior Neurologists or General Medical Practitioners or came to know from our website and
publications about the clinic. Some of them started attending our daycare centres.
President Secretary
ARDSI Calcutta Chapter ARDSI Calcutta Chapter

Conclusion:
I would sincerely like to extend my deepest gratitude for all members of the society, the executive committee, the staff, volunteers, individuals, families with a person with dementia, persons with dementia, sponsors, donors, for enriching the meaning of our existence.
My personal 10 years nurturing the child I was handed over by Mrs. Shefali Chaudhury was truly memorable. I wish gods choicest blessings be showered upon the society’s work and promise to put very best effort in our future endeavors.

Nilanjana Maulik
Secretary, ARDSI Calcutta Chapter