In support of World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Department of Geriatrics and Long-Term Care collaborated with the Doha Chapter of Alzheimer’s Indonesia, in arranging a music therapy evening for patients living with dementia.
Special guests included Indonesian ambassador, Ridwan Hassan, and members of the Indonesian embassy, along with representatives from the CSR & Sponsorship Division of QNB which sponsored the dinner for all participants.
Music therapy has been shown to have long-term benefits in reducing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. A number of patients from Enaya and DAAM Specialised Care Centres living with dementia, including family members and carers, were invited to participate in an interactive music therapy using Angklung, a handmade musical instrument made of bamboo that produces sounds when shaken. The interactive session was presented by the Indonesian Ladies Angklung group, a local group of Indonesian ladies who enjoy sharing their expertise and cultural heritage with the wider community in Qatar.
Dr Maryam Yousef al-Obaidli, consultant geriatrician at HMC, said: “With the guidance of our leader Dr Hanadi al-Hamad, deputy chief of rehabilitation, Long-Term and Geriatric Care, we have once again developed a comprehensive plan to engage different communities to talk about Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia. This effort is aimed at helping to reduce the stigma relating to dementia, and to educate the wider public about certain risk reduction measures that we can all adopt to reduce the risk of getting dementia.”
Ambassador Hassan, said: “It is inspirational to see the results from the collaboration between teams from Hamad Medical Corporation, the Doha Chapter of Alzheimer’s Indonesia, and the Indonesian Ladies Angklung. All worked together to engage patients in an introductory ‘Anklung’ session, and to raise awareness among carers and family members about the healing benefits of such activities.”
Heba Ali al-Tamimi, senior executive vice president, QNB Group Communications noted: “QNB’s ethos is to invest in programmes that support the community, we therefore support and deliver a range of initiatives within our focus areas of social and humanitarian, arts and culture, health and environment, economic and international affairs, and sport. This event connects humanitarian, health, culture and international affairs to benefit people living with dementia.”
