In a significant stride towards addressing the growing healthcare needs of India’s aging population, Shalinitai Meghe Hospital & Research Centre (SMHRC)—the 1020-bedded flagship teaching hospital of DMIHER (Deemed to be University)—has launched a dedicated Integrated Dementia Care Centre. This initiative comes at a time when dementia is emerging as a silent epidemic, especially in elderly populations across both urban and rural India.
The launch reflects SMHRC’s unwavering commitment to inclusive, ethical, and accessible healthcare and is aimed at easing the burden faced by families caring for loved ones afflicted by dementia—a condition marked by memory loss, cognitive decline, and emotional distress.
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13 June 2025
At the personal initiative of Shri Sagar Meghe, Principal Advisor – DMIHER (DU), the centre has been operationalized by a team of senior experts including Dr. Pradeep Patil, Dr. Prashant Bharbat, Dr. Abhijeet Faye, Dr.Mona Rai, Dr. Apurva Joshi, Dr. Amita Kamdi, and Dr. Seeta Verma, who have created a multi-disciplinary, patient-centric model that ensures dignified and continuous care.
Key Features of the Dementia Treatment Centre:
• No bed, doctor, or nursing charges
• Highly subsidized medicines, diagnostics, and procedures
• Integrated approach with psychiatry, psychology, general medicine, homeopathy, yoga therapy, and social work
• Dedicated family counselling and psychosocial rehabilitation
Reinforcing National Missions for Elderly Care
This initiative significantly contributes to the Government of India’s flagship programs:
• National Action Plan for Senior Citizens (NAPSrC)
• Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY)
• National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE)
By providing comprehensive geriatric care at the tertiary level and supporting families through long-term care options, SMHRC is helping to strengthen these missions at the grassroots.
Supporting Legal and Moral Responsibility of Families
Additionally, the initiative supports the spirit of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, which mandates the financial and emotional support of elderly parents by their children and relatives. SMHRC’s dementia care facility provides a dignified, reliable care solution for families, enabling them to fulfil both their legal obligations and moral responsibilities with the right infrastructure and medical support.
A Regional Leader in Geriatric and Palliative Care
SMHRC has already established its reputation in Geriatric and Palliative Care through its specialized long-stay wards and community outreach. The dementia centre is an extension of this legacy, offering the region’s only holistic, full-time specialist-led, and subsidized indoor care facility for dementia patients.
Families seeking assistance or admission may contact Dr. Shivam Gupta at 7218080127 for real-time information on bed availability.
Through this bold and inclusive initiative, SMHRC once again reaffirms its leadership in shaping a healthcare ecosystem that honours the elderly, uplifts families, and furthers India’s national goals for senior citizen welfare.
