Memory care is entering a new phase. Doctors are moving beyond treating memory loss as a part of ageing. They are now looking for the reasons behind changes, spotting problems earlier and planning timely care. This shift matters because conditions that affect memory and thinking are becoming more common in India. Modern memory care looks at more than Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. It also looks at cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological, psychological, vascular, and lifestyle conditions that can affect memory, attention, language, and day to day functioning.

To mark the World Alzheimer’s Day, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram in association with the Federation of Senior Citizens Welfare Forums hosted a Health Talk and Brain Gym Session. The session focused on promoting brain health raising awareness and encouraging ageing among senior citizens. The program also unveiled a Memory & Brain Health Clinic under the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro & Spine (MAIINS). It will assess and guide people with concerns that range from age related forgetfulness and subjective memory complaints to mild cognitive impairment Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and cognitive changes linked to other neurological conditions.

Dr. Praveen Gupta, Chairman - MAIINS, Marengo Asia Hospitals in Gurugram said, "Memory care has changed from asking whether someone is forgetting things to asking why the change is happening and what we can do about it. Memory problems can have causes and Alzheimer’s is only one of them. A comprehensive memory clinic has to look at cognition, neurological health, medicines, sleep, mood, vascular risk factors and other possible causes. Advances such as blood based biomarkers and disease modifying treatments are also opening a chapter in Alzheimer’s care. The important thing is to identify the patient at the early stage and provide the right evaluation and treatment.”

At the Memory & Brain health Clinic, the assessment process starts with a thorough consultation and a short memory screening in order to examine both memory and other cognitive abilities. Should any concerns be found, the patients then have a full neuropsychological assessment together with a neurological evaluation and, if necessary, a psychiatric one. These different findings are combined in order to identify the possible reason for the cognitive changes and to put together a personalised care and follow-up programme. It is advised that a memory assessment should be carried out in the case of people who often forget everyday tasks, dates or appointments, have difficulty with their finances, misplace their belongings, struggle to remember names or follow a conversation, or when relatives observe changes which have an effect on daily life. The Memory Clinic also provides support for caregivers by helping them to understand these changes and to cope with the emotional difficulties such as anxiety, frustration, stress and isolation which frequently occur alongside cognitive decline.

Harpreet Singh, Facility Director at Marengo Asia Hospitals in Gurugram said, "The biggest change we need is in the way families look at memory problems. If families wait until a person becomes dependent or a major crisis happens, they may lose time. A memory clinic should be a place where people can come early. The clinic should help people understand whether a change is simply ageing or something that needs attention. It should also help identify causes that can be treated. When needed, the clinic should give a pathway for further diagnosis and care. That is what makes memory care relevant not for Alzheimer’s but also for dementia, Parkinson’s and many other conditions that affect the ageing brain. As we continue to build the MAIINS Neurosciences ecosystem at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, our focus is not just on advanced treatment, but also on creating awareness, enabling early detection and strengthening the continuum of neurological care."

One of the major developments in Alzheimer’s care is the use of blood based biomarkers such as phosphorylated tau, including the p tau217 amyloid marker. Such tests are increasingly being used to support Alzheimer’s diagnosis in appropriate clinical settings. A blood test however, is not a test that can predict with certainty whether a healthy person will develop Alzheimer’s. Clinical assessment and, where required, other investigations remain important. The treatment landscape has also changed with lecanemab and donanemab antibody based disease modifying therapies for patients with early Alzheimer’s disease. These treatments have brought focus on identifying Alzheimer’s at an earlier stage.

Memory care is a rapidly developing field in India, and related research is emerging. The LASI-DAD study found 17.6% and 7.2% prevalence of mild and major neurocognitive disorders, respectively, in the elderly. The prevalence of dementia was estimated to be 5.78% in Haryana and 4.50% in Delhi. Haryana’s numbers are expected to almost double by 2036. The data presented here is at the level of the state and not at the level of the city of Gurugram.