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The Department of Social Development will wrap up their Alzheimers's educational campaign in Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday.
The government focused its campaign on the rural parts of the Province where senior citizens are living in fear of being murdered and accused of witchcraft.
A community member who spoke to government officials last week said that nearly 50 older citizens had to relocate out of fear due to the community's lack of understanding of issues like Alzheimer's and Dementia.
It is said that senior citizens in the area refuse to sleep alone at night and are now sleeping in groups under one roof.
The department said it chose the area in the Eastern Cape to embark on this education and awareness programme, as it is leading in the reported cases of brutal killings of older persons.
The Deputy Minister of Social Development, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, will conclude the campaign on Tuesday which is also World Alzheimer's Day.
Alzheimer’s is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, which worsens gradually as senior citizens advance in years. It is the most common cause of dementia.
Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning, thinking, remembering, reasoning and behavioural abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s normal daily life and activities.
Although there is currently no treatment available to cure Alzheimer, the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that in terms of treatment and care, much can be offered to support and improve the lives of people with the disease, their caregivers and families.
