To bridge the widening treatment gap in geriatric mental health, NIMHANS is set to roll out two pioneering initiatives — NIMHANS–VMS Gruha, a community-based outreach programme, and a Post-Diagnostic Dementia Care Centre developed in collaboration with Dementia India Alliance (DIA). These initiatives coincide with World Alzheimer’s Day, observed on September 21
Psychiatric care at doorstep
The NIMHANS–VMS Gruha programme will take specialised psychiatric services directly to the homes of elderly citizens. While initiatives such as Tele-MANAS have expanded access to mental health care, they do not reach those unable to travel. This gap, experts said, will now be addressed by a dedicated team comprising psychiatrists, psychologists, and nurses who will conduct home visits, provide follow-up assessments, counselling, and assisted tele-psychiatry consultations.
This team will deliver services, while trained volunteers will help raise awareness and provide basic mental health support. NIMHANS trainees will also be sensitised to the unique needs of older adults.
P.T. Sivakumar, professor of Psychiatry and head of Geriatric Psychiatry at NIMHANS, told The Hindu on Saturday that the programme, funded through philanthropic contributions of ₹1.2 crore each from eminent psychiatrists, who were formerly with NIMHANS - Padma Shri awardee C.R. Chandrashekar and Srikala Bharath, currently based in Australia - will be piloted in Bengaluru South Corporation, which has an estimated 3 – 4 lakh elderly residents. Services will extend to old-age homes and destitute elders, he said.
