#WorldRockAgainstDementia Event 2018#

#WorldRockAgainstDementia Event 2018#

It just takes one call from my friend, Sailesh Mishra to get me there.  When someone like him tells you to be there, you are there…. and not because you have been told to,  but because you just know in your heart that you have to.  This is exactly what happened for me and not surprised at all that when I landed there, I was handed a event flow and told to get up on stage and host it too.

In 2017, Sailesh Mishra of Silver Innings was appointed Brand Ambassador of India for Purple Angles a global platform for Dementia founded by Norman Mc Namara.  *World Rock Against Dementia* 2018, was organised by Sailesh Mishra and his Silver Innings on March 24, 2018 to create awareness about Dementia - a global program - 85 events simultaneously in 20 countries and in 5 continents. A collaborative event of global organizations started by Purple Angel Ambassador.

Dance and song by Seniors and the band Nuts & Frets rocked the show that evening. What was more heartening for me while hosting the show was that each and every Senior wanted the world to know their AGE.  Not one every wants to tell the world how old one is and here were my peers all wanting me to share their ages on the mike with everyone in the audience each time they performed.…. and why not?  after all they were proving  that AGE IS JUST A NUMBER and that the HEART IS YOUNG FOREVER.

It was indeed a matter of pride to know that Sailesh has been invited by Commonwealth International Forum Conference in UK, to represent India and speak about his cause in April  2018.  He will also talk about India, about family culture in our country because the Western culture is keen to know how we care about our family. He adds , "Let me tell you we are not so bad. We need to protect our family institution and I will be talking about it."

I decided that I had to get him to do a small interview so I pinned him down to do a FB live with me on that event day.  Here is the conversation we had.

Ø  Hira : Sailesh tell us what this event is all about?

Sailesh:  This event is hosted all over the world in 20 countries & 5 continents to create awareness about Dementia through music and dance.  Music and dance helps brain stimulate  and help in Dementia.

Ø  Hira: Sailesh, you are like an angel, I always say that and it is a fact. Tell me something about the causes that you are supporting

Sailesh:   We support the cause of Senior Citizens.. By Senior Citizens I mean those about 60+. Also we work with young people, old people and people with Dementia which a non-curable disease.  What has happened to your family member you can't do anything about it but we can try to prevent it, we can try to stabilize it, we can help the family members and the best thing is let people in the Government know what Dementia and Alziehermers is all about so we can act on it now.

Ø  Hira: I have realised that Sailesh, that you do a lot. You have Silver Innings, A1 Snehanjali that supports the senior citizens  and you have a home in Nalasopara and Rajodi.  Can you please tell me something more about it.

Sailesh : We have one of India's first social enterprise assisted living care home A1 Snehanjali at Nalasopara and Virar where we have a 24x7 dedicated home for Dementia and Alziehmer.  It is a big support and relief for the families of those suffering from Dementia and it is a holistic home. It is not a nursing home, it is not an old age home, it is not an orphanage. It is a home like yours and mine. We only give love and care. That is all they need people.  I think this is what India needs and I don't also think we need to also make our own homes Dementia friendly.

Ø  Hira : Dementia for me was a very scary subject and then I met you, Sailesh.  I also decided to make a film called SELFLESS SOLDIER - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aETnPu2FFXk.   What else do you wish to share.

Sailesh : One more thing. We have a Silver Inning Football Club playing for a cause also for Dementia. Our team is a group topper in Mumbai District Football Association.  This is something I am proud of.  As  for everyone of us out there, I can only say that  love and support your parents because one day you will also grow old.

Ø  Silver Innings FC #SIFC Team qualifies for #MDFA Mumbai District Football Association - MDFA of 2nd Division this year 2017 -2018 and to 1st Division for next year 2018 -2019 in prestigious #MDFA #Football tournament. They are through quarter finals.

Before allowing him to leave, I had to ask him that pertinent question that had me confused for a long time before it  made me come closer to understanding this cause which was:

Ø  Hira :  There is the word Dementia and then there is another word "Alzheimer's". What is the difference between the two and when we talk to our family members or anyone,  they think Dementia and Alzheimer's is the same thing. I also used to think the same until I connected with you, read about it on the internet and started to come to events like these.  Please will you tell us what exactly it is.

Sailesh : Dementia is like an umbrella,  in simple terms if I have to explain, it is like a company that makes different products. Dementia is like that and has many different facets to it like Alzheimer's and other kinds of focused Dementia problems which I don't think one needs to know about except Dementia and Alzheimer's prevail because in our country we have diabetes and heart problems. Dementia is a chronic disorder which affects the brain leading to memory loss, understanding problems, poor cognitive functions and behavioural changes The main problem is forgetting but forgetting is not wrong.

Ø  Hira :  So then please, explain the confusion between old age and Dementia, please.

Sailesh : See, forgetting small things such forgetting to pay a friend, not recognising or remembering people names which sometimes we do intentionally to avoid things. That is normal. Then what is this illness.  It is when you forget everyday routine, such as putting toothpaste on the brush, brushing or gargling, where and when to go to the toilet.  Meal times are forgotten, whether it is morning or afternoon and sometimes if clouds cover the sky a Dementia patient will think it already night or its morning. They will not understand what time of the day it is. With these kind of problems the persons personality changes. Forgetting  little things is okay, but problem comes when you forget people completely, forget to eat, forget name of wife, son, family members-  then it is a problem.  It is then that it never gets cured.

Ø  Hira : How important is a caregiver?

Sailesh : In Dementia and Alzheimer's the caregiver is the most important person. The caregiver is the doctor and the medicine as no other medicine works. Caregiver has the most important role and so who is a caregiver. It is a family member or someone you hire to look after your family member suffering from Dementia who stays 24x7 with them.  Most importantly a caretaker must to take good care of his mental health too.

The evening of dance and music came to an end and I know why Sailesh always advocates and encourages us seniors to continue to dance and sing. Simply  because it stimulates the brain,  relaxes, connects the mind and soul leading to agility, flexibility, balance coordination and as he always says "It is a way to keep your brain and body active and connected. So continue to sing, dance and stay active, then Dementia will never come close to you."

A must read  - “Remember me - You Me and Dementia ”, Book by Sailesh Mishra https://www.amazon.in/dp/9385221051 is a valuable guide in preparing care givers to foresee a new aspect of their life. The people diagnosed with the disease in the early stages will help them understand themselves and plan ones remaining journey of life.  The book is interspersed with real life stories and poems of perseverance and enduring without which, partaking in this journey is not possible.

Connect: silverinnings@gmail.com.  sailesh2000_2000@yahoo.co.uk or Mob:09819819145.

Me, Sugar Mediaz and an afternoon with Mookdhwani School* for hearing impaired children

It is said that some connects that you make become lifelong relationships that go beyond the unexplainable. Many many years ago, I had read an advertisement and learnt the art of voiceovers with Darrpan Mehta, a leading and respected Voice Actor  at  Sugar Mediaz. Thereafter, I truly have lost count of the years or the many times, I have shared happy moments with Darrpan, Janvi and Kiran.. and this time was no different. A phone call from them is all it takes to get me scuttling to their office with a happy smile.

You may wonder why? Simple. What I love about Darrpan (apart from the friendship) and Sugar Mediaz is that despite the traditional role of being an audio content production house, they choose unique and different activities as part of their social responsibility initiatives, such as *surprise X'mas party for 150 kids of Prayas Street School, *Buy a Diary-send a child to school project, *campaign to collect books, stationery and musical instruments for prisoners of Indore Jail and my favourite of all 300 paper bags containing packets of wheat flour, sugar, rice and pulses sent to family&friends in Diwali (including me) with a request to pass it on to less privileged people.

The initiative this time!!! An afternoon to celebrate Teachers day with fun and games to create a bond between teachers and children at *Mookdhwani School* for hearing impaired children.... and as always, I was ready to be a part of their initiative. 

September 6th, 12.30pm and we and the volunteers were all ready to have fun with them, but wait !! let me first share a bit about the school that Sugar Mediaz was bringing happiness and joy to....*Mookdhwani Vidyalaya*, managed by Utkarsh Mandal, situated in a by-lane at Vile Parle, is a Marathi medium school, established in 1982, providing free education to the hearing impaired children as also parent counselling, guidance, rehabilitation supported by teachers, speech therapists and social workers.

I cannot even start to explain the overwhelming feeling that came over me standing in the school hall and watching 100 children of all ages walking in and settling down in front of us. At that moment, I realised that all the "dumb charades" talent in the world would not be enough to communicate with them or would it? It made me wonder that when they were looking at me doing the talking, was it like what I felt while watching a silent film. Maybe not, because you needed to be there to hear the laughter as the children communicated with each other despite living in a world of silence themselves...as  did team Sugar Mediaz with them. Dividing the children into groups with a few teachers in each group; that was easy!!! but conducting the games was no easy task, believe me. You will not believe the number of times, stupid old me, out of force of habit said "suno" on the mike completely forgetting that "suno" was a word that did not exist in their lives. Starting off with two minute games such as poking straws in the hair, bindis on hands, balancing coins holding biscuit in mouth and so on were received with much exuberance. Simple games like musical chairs and more, especially conducted just for the teachers made them so happy that we were surprised to be told that in past years, no one had ever thought about conducting games for them. A balloon tied to the ankle of each teacher and letting them loose to burst the other's balloons while saving their own had them in splits. I cannot even get to down to expressing the amount of laughter and noise the teachers themselves were making. It was hilarious to actually have to tell the teachers to 'stop and listen'. Darrpan dressed up as a clown making an entry with chocolates and little toys which he threw to catch, had children screaming, scrambling and grabbing as much as their little hands could. Amidst many more such fun games, the afternoon ended with prizes for games, and gifts & snack boxes for everyone.

I realised by the end of the afternoon, the true meaning of "my world may be silent but I can hear with my hands". I had completely forgotten about the disability as the eyes, the heart and the hands spoke volumes and no one was needed to translate anymore. The one thing I learnt today, is simple. No one is really deaf or dumb and all we need to do is respect each other's intelligence and communicate ...... and as the tag line of Sugar Mediaz says, let us just "communicate better" with a dash of understanding and a sprinkle of compassion ... So  the next time I think of turning a deaf ear, I will think twice !!