The Rebuilding Lives Programme (RLP) managed by the Foundation of Goodness (FoG) held a very successful ‘Alzheimers Awareness Programme’ on the first weekend of July at the Victoria Gardens Community Centre in Seenigama.

RLP’s Fazana Ibrahim addresses the opening
of the ‘Alzheimers Awareness Programme’

RLP arranged the workshop for the benefit of the villagers of Seenigama and the surrounding regions, in order to create understanding and knowledge about this degenerative disease, as Alzheimers has received very little focus in rural parts of the country.

As Sri Lanka has a high percentage of its population in the 60+ age category, Alzheimers awareness workshops are very beneficial as in its commonest form Alzheimers is known to afflict people over 65 years of age.

Mr. Tami Tamittegama addresses the
‘Alzheimers Awareness Programme’

The RLP’s ‘Alzheimers Awareness Programme’ was conducted by Lanka Alzheimers Foundation and overseen by the founders Mr. & Mrs. Tami and Lorraine Tamittegama. Addressing the event was special guest Mr. Jim Jackson, president of the Scotland Alzheimers Association. He was accompanied by his wife Jenny, who observed the proceedings.

Mr. Jim Jackson addresses the audience
and then takes their questions

The target audience for the Programme was ‘caregivers’ and not patients. There were almost 50 villagers in attendance of various age groups that benefited from the event. During the Programme the audience was given an opportunity to raise questions. From this interaction with the audience it was apparent to Mr. Jackson and Mr. & Mrs. Tamittegama that the villagers were confused between dementia and depression. The 2-hour long Awareness Programme sought to address this issue and the speakers briefed those present on caring for a patient who has this terminal disease.

This Alzheimers Awareness Programme was a landmark event as it was the first ever rural programme conducted by the Lanka Alzheimers Foundation. This charity foundation plans to hold a series of such awareness programmes in Seenigama, using it as a hub to cater to the region.

This highly beneficial and successful Awarenes Workshop was coordinated by RLP’s Medical Project Coordinator Fazana Ibrahim and her team. RLP has been working to improve the lives of the less privileged, the psychologically affected and the various victims of society. The Lanka Alzheimers Foundation will be educating and creating awareness amongst the RLP team as well, on identifying Alzheimers and coping with patients.

Kushil Gunasekera the founder/trustee of FoG praised the efforts to hold this Awareness Programme “this type of programme has never taken place at rural level and so to create awareness on dementia in a rural village, with the previous focus being the more affluent city of Colombo, is a groundbreaking service to spread awareness amongst the villagers in the region, which we hope to continue in partnership with the Lanka Alzheimers Foundation whilst training our own psychosocial support team to take it further.”

“Whatever we posses becomes of
double value, when we have the opportunity
of sharing it with others” - Bouilly

2008.07.28