In partnership with the Senior Citizen Division of the National Institute of Social Defence, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the Government of India, the Department of Sociology at Jamia Millia Islamia hosted a two-day national seminar on March 6 and 7, 2024, on the topic of “Creating Dementia Friendly Society for Elderly Citizens: Issues and Challenges.” The seminar was held at FTK CIT, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
The first meeting was chaired by Prof. Eqbal Hussain, the acting vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, and was moderated by Niharika and Daniya, research scholars in the department of sociology at JMI.
According to Prof Hussain, the number of dementia patients in the nation is increasing. He said that obstacles to dementia care and prevention include illiteracy, malnourishment, ongoing stress from work and other sources, the dissolution of joint families into nuclear ones, and taboos and stigmas related to the illness.
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Distinguished dignitaries graced the occasion, chief among them being Dr. M. Aslam Parvaiz, a former vice chancellor of Hyderabad’s Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU).
The introductory speech was delivered by Prof. Azra Abidi, Head of the Sociology Department at Jamia Millia Islamia. Her speech emphasized the tremendous effects of dementia on important facets of people’s lives, such as personality, cognitive function, memory retention, and day-to-day functioning. Prof. Sanghamitra Sheel Acharya of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) then gave the keynote lecture, providing perceptive insights on the issue of the seminar.
Prof. Muslim Khan, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Jamia Millia Islamia, presented the Vote of Thanks for the inaugural session. The seminar’s goals of increasing awareness, encouraging support networks, and addressing the complex issues surrounding dementia care were well-established by the end of the program.
Sixteen papers were delivered over the two panel sessions and two paper presentation sessions that comprised the National Seminar. The presentations were followed by discussions.
Professor Sanghamitra Sheel Acharya of JNU moderated the panel discussion, which was entitled “Navigating Dementia, Stigma and Ageing: Perspectives from the Social Sciences.” Professors Surendra Prasad from the University of Hyderabad, Raj Lakshmi Guha from IIT Kharagpur, Sumita Saha from Presidency University in Kolkata, and Nishi Pulugurtha from Brahmananda Keshab Chandra College in Kolkata were the distinguished panelists for this session.
Collectively, they contributed a range of knowledge and perspectives to the discussion on how dementia, social stigma, and aging populations intersect from a social science perspective. Smriti, a Research Scholar in the JMI Department of Sociology, served as the moderator for the event. The talks provided insightful information by highlighting the multidisciplinary approach to dementia and the importance of language and active participation for dementia patients.
Aligarh Muslim University’s Prof. Abdul Waheed presided over the second panel. Prominent speakers on the panel included Dr. K.M. Ziyauddin from Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad, Prof. Sameena from Aligarh Muslim University, and Prof. Mohd Arshad from Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Agra.
Together, they offered perceptive viewpoints that drew from the diverse field of social sciences regarding the relationship between dementia, aging, and cultural attitudes. Smriti and Ruksana, Research Scholars in the Department of Sociology at JMI, moderated this session.
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The focus for the first paper presentation session was “Dementia and the Elderly: Stigma, Caregiving and Remedies.” This session featured seven researchers presenting their work; it was led by Prof. Manisha Pandey, Director of the JMI Center for North East Studies and Policy Research, and moderated by Touhid Ahmed, Research Scholar, Department of Sociology.
Definitions of dementia, its social stigma, holistic consequences, community mental health initiatives, power dynamics between patients and caregivers, and the role of NGOs in supporting and cultivating empathy towards dementia patients were just a few of the topics covered in this session.
Eight scholars began the second paper presentation session by discussing their work on “Dementia and Society: Wellbeing, Representation, and the Way Forward.” The paper presentation session was chaired by Dr. K.M. Ziyauddin from Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderabad, and moderated by Nitish Kumar, a Research Scholar in the Department of Sociology at JMI.
Important subjects covered included the impact of dementia on society, methods for improving wellbeing, representation in different contexts, and future directions for addressing the difficulties caused by dementia.
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After the fascinating and enlightening seminar, there was a lively question-and-answer period in which attending researchers and faculty members actively participated. This session offered a chance to delve deeper into the seminar’s themes and promoted thought-provoking conversations about a range of dementia-related topics and their social ramifications. The collaborative discourse and intellectual interchange that pervaded the atmosphere demonstrated the participants’ dedication to expanding their knowledge of the subject.
The moderator ended the event by expressing her sincere gratitude to each and every one of the attendees for their invaluable contributions and for bringing their unique perspectives and ideas to the seminar. Ultimately, the session’s chair, Dr. K.M. Ziyauddin, gratefully gave the paper speakers certificates in recognition of their noteworthy contributions.
