India must strengthen dementia ecosystem as population ages: Tata Trusts

Mumbai: As India moves towards an increasingly ageing population, there is a need to go beyond early detection and build a stronger, more collaborative ecosystem to address dementia, Tata Trusts said on Wednesday.

Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life.

"Dementia will be one of the defining health conversations in India over the next three decades. Our effort is to build a shared, evidence-based understanding of dementia in India, one that looks beyond the disease to the realities of the individual and the caregiver and seeks to build an ecosystem of care around them," Tata Trusts CEO Siddharth Sharma said in a statement.


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A 2023 AIIMS-USC study estimates that the number of Indian seniors living with dementia could reach 16.9 million by 2036, nearly doubling earlier than expected.

Ramani Sundaram, Executive Director, Dementia India Alliance stated that early detection of dementia is an important first step, but it cannot exist in isolation.

"India today has fewer than 50 full-fledged dementia care centres. We need a stronger, more connected dementia ecosystem - one that supports individuals and caregivers, equips families with resources and knowledge to navigate this difficult journey, and brings healthcare, communities, workplaces and policymakers together to respond proactively and effectively," she added.

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Dr Anura Kurpad, Senior Advisor, Health, said people often describe changes in memory, behaviour or everyday functioning simply as old age but these changes can be early signs of dementia and should not be ignored.

"While there is currently no cure for dementia, an early diagnosis can be transformative. Literature on the subject underscores a critical health prevention window and we need to utilise that through systemic action on modifiable risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and other lifestyle factors"," she added.