Naidcare advocates support for persons living with dementia

…partners NOA, FCTA, others on Alzheimer’s awareness

By Stanley Onyekwere

In order to mitigate Alzheimer’s disease and related Dementia (AD), Naidcare, a professional care services agency, has stressed the need to escalate awareness and support for persons living with the condition in FCT and the country at large.

Naidcare while noting that deliberate steps must be taken to tackle the condition, particularly called on community leaders to take up the responsibility of spreading Alzheimer’s awareness to families and building support systems that can assist those living with dementia.

Making this call at the weekend, during a media chat in commemoration
of the forthcoming 2025 World Alzheimer’s Day, the Senior Executive/ HOP of the agency with head office in the United Kingdom and a branch office in Lagos, Nigeria, Ife James Itodio, decried that awareness about Alzheimer’s disease remains very low in this part of the world.

Itodio, who noted that caring for someone with Alzheimer’s is demanding, said the disease often starts subtly, with simple forgetfulness like misplacing car keys or a phone, but it can gradually progress to forgetting one’s own name, the ability to eat, or even how to use one’s limbs, which depicts how serious dementia and Alzheimer’s are.

According to him, several activities have been lined up, including free medical outreach, a one-kilometer awareness walk, expert-led presentations, and mentally stimulating board games like scrabble, chess, and draughts—all effective for prevention and management of Alzheimer’s.

He said: “This year, we have adopted the theme: “Kick Out Alzheimer’s.” Our goal is to create awareness and let the elderly know that they are not forgotten. Unfortunately, in our society, aging is often equated with disability, leading to cases of adult abuse.

“Through this campaign, we aim to sensitize communities and their leaders. What we are doing is unique in creating the much-needed awareness, not just for the sake of it, but to ensure that government and community leaders recognize that people are truly suffering from these diseases.”

Also speaking, representative of National Orientation Agency( NOA), Dr. Ayoola Abiodun Olufemi,
Director, Health and Social Care, explained that NOA is partnering with Naidcare to create awareness about Alzheimer’s disease, as many Nigerians- whether in the cities or villages—are affected by this condition, yet there is a lot of misinformation, stigma, and even spiritual interpretations attached to it.