Here is a short report on the activities during the just ended World Alzheimer`s Month.On the Tuesday the 2nd of September Alzheimer`s Ghana launched the Months celebration at the Nabita Nursing Training College in Tema.

• Thursday the 4th of September, our team was hosted on Dementia Awareness and Education programme on Hot FM/Radio Station at Accra. The programme lasted for about 20mins and attracted over 15million listeners both in the cities and villages.
• Wednesday the 10^th of September, our team also organised Dementia Awareness and Education programme at Citi FM/Radio Station at Accra the and this programme attracted over 20million audience.
• Sunday the 14^th of September, our team undertook Dementia Awareness and Education programme and Research Questionnaires at Royal House Chapel at Afienya town in the Ningo Prampram District Assembly. About 100 congregations was educated.
• Tuesday the 16^th of September, our team again undertook Dementia Awareness and Education programme and Research Questionnaires at Royal House Chapel at Afienya town in the Ningo Prampram District Assembly.
• Wednesday 17^th of September, our team conducted Dementia Awareness and Research Questionnaires at the Morbole Local Community in the Ningo Prampram District of Ghana.
• Friday the 19^th of September, our team were at Ashaiman Senior High School for education on Dementia Awareness and Research Questionnaires. Over 200 students between the ages of 16-25yrs at Ashaiman in the Tema Metropolital Assembly participated in the activity.
• Sunday the 21^st of September, our team visited Afienya Roman Catholic Church and did a presentation on Dementia and World Alzheimer`s Day. Over 250 people participated.

• Monday the 15^th of September, our team did a presentation on Dementia and reducing its Risks at the Rotary Club, Accra. Over 50 people were present.
• Thursday the 25^th of September, our team visited the Minister for Health and Nungua Traditional Council to invite the Minister, the chiefs and elders to the conference.
• Tuesday the 30^th September between 6am – 7am, our team was hosted by Ghana Television Corporation (GTV) on Breakfast show. We used this occasion to educate the public of over 25million on the topic Dementia: Can we reduce the risk?

Tuesday 30^th September between 10:30am – 1:30pm

Alzheimer`s Ghana climaxed the month`s programmes with a Conference involving Government officials, WHO representative, Traditional Leaders, Security personnel from Ghana Armed Forces, Health Professionals from Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Services, Nursing/Medical Students, other NGOs, representatives from various media groups and other stakeholders. Below is the programme line-up.

Theme- Dementia: Can we reduce the risk?

Conference: Tuesday, 30^th September 2014   10.30am – 1.30pm
Venue: Christ The King Catholic Church Conference Hall

Aims

• to highlight the plight of people with dementia and their families in Ghana’s ageing population
• to look at how to reduce the risk of dementia in Ghana by involving stakeholders and the general public
• to launch an appeal for support for the organisation and people affected

Chairman: Professor Joseph Bediako Asare, (Chairman, Mental Health Board)

King Odaifio Welentsi III, Chief of Nungua Traditional Area.

Conference Pictures

September 21^st of each year, is a year, is a day on which Alzheimer ‘s  organizations around the world concentrate their efforts on raising awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia.

How Can World Alzheimer’s Day Help

Awareness about this degenerative and irreversible disorder is very important to understand and care for the patients affected with Alzheimer’s. The world Alzheimer’s Day focuses on getting more people know about the disease and why and how the patients could be managed though the disease itself cannot be cured.

The first people who should be educated on the symptoms and management of the disease are those who have someone suffering from it. In most of the cases the early Alzheimer’s symptoms are mistaken for age related forgetfulness and the disease is diagnosed only after it advances to a higher stage making it equally difficult for the patients and for the caregivers.

Being patient and knowing the symptoms and the extent to which the disease can progress will help in taking care of the patient and bearing with the pain of seeing their loved ones deteriorate into living log. The international Alzheimer’s  day tells the people that, they are not alone in their misery and someone next to them are facing the same or similar trauma; the talk show and the articles on the disease helps in educating the world to know more about the disease. The day also promotes the donation into the fund for Alzheimer’s research which may someday provide a breakthrough for the treatment and new findings in to key to unlock the disease.

Alzheimer`s Ghana joined Mrs Adih, President of the Board in Celebrating her Mum`s 80^th Birthday on 17^th May.

We used this occasion to interact with Nana Oye Lithur, Ministers for Gender Children and Social Protection and Mrs Qweenstar Pokuah Sawyerr, Deputy Minister for Central Region, who were present and also engaged some prominent men who were also present to support and donate towards Alzheimer`s Ghana activities.

Alzheimer`s Ghana in collaboration with Vision Allied Health Institute in Maryland, USA organised a (2) day training programme for Doctors, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Health Workers and Workers NGOs in the Health Sector on 13th-14th May 2014. The programme was a success. In pictures; (Demonstration of resuscitating a chocking dementia patient.)