Awareness programmes on Alzheimer’s to be launched in Oman

Muscat: More programmes will be launched in Oman to spread awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, on the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Month.

The programmes are being conducted by the Oman Alzheimer’s Association, a non-profit that aims to take care of Alzheimer’s sufferers and inform people about the condition, as well as the Psychology of Youth Oman volunteers’ team.

“We conduct regular training for health workers about Alzheimer’s disease and how to detect such patients, as well as offer care and support to care givers,” said Dr Hamed Al Sinawi, the chairman of the Oman Alzheimer’s Society and a senior old age consultant and psychiatrist at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital.

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“These sessions are open to all healthcare providers in Oman and we have good number of people attending. Recently we introduced our dementia friends’ programme which is open to members of the public,” he added.

“The aim of this programme is to raise public awareness and encourage people to help patients in whatever way possible. We also have sessions with students from technical colleges and some offered to develop smartphone applications to help the caregivers with advice on how to deal with the patient, others wanted to create tools to help patients get back to their homes if they walk out of the house and forget their way back.

We have also created a website and social medial account so we can post regular news about Alzheimer’s and provide tips for caregivers.”

To further spread awareness of the condition, the association also went to town outside Muscat to help provide information to people on the causes and symptoms of Alzheimer’s. They conducted talks with healthcare workers in Ibra, Saham, Barka and Buraimi.

Psychology of Youth
Awareness on the same was also provided by the Psychology of Youth volunteering team, a group of young mental health professionals that aim to provide care and assistance to people who suffer from mental ailments and require it.

“September is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, which affects more than 50 million people worldwide,” said Abeer Abdullah Al Mujaini, the co-founder of the team. “In cooperation with the Alzheimer’s Association of Oman, the Psychology of Youth volunteer team is pleased to announce the start of the awareness campaign, which will continue throughout the month of September, so we ask everyone to please participate.”
She added, “In collaboration with the Omani Alzheimer’s Association, the youth volunteer teams will hold one hour Alzheimer’s awareness sessions throughout September for organisations that require it. To register, please send the phrase ‘friends of dementia patients’ through private messages on Twitter or on WhatsApp on 96199905.”