On the 21st of September 2019, Cognitive Neurology Clinic organized a community outreach program to commemorate World Alzheimer’s day. Set in Richmond Park, Bangalore, the atmosphere was filled with the clatter of children running around and the chirping of birds under magnanimous canopies of gulmohar trees. It was brimming with enormous energy. People flocked in large numbers from various parts of Bangalore in support of this noble cause – a day to uplift the spirits of the ailing and the ageing. Starting from singing, dancing, and participating in smaller art installations displayed by Repair Cafe Bengaluru, they tried to establish a sense of belonging, social involvement, and engagement to explore artistic and community driven prophylactic measures against dementia.
In collaboration with Cognitive Neurology Clinic, Conscious Bengaluru set up an interactive installation to understand human metrics pertaining to Conscious Ageing. Participants could express through emojis on maps after reflecting upon the parameters mentioned in the survey. These parameters have been largely based on psychological perceptions such as social connectivity, safety, imagability, legibility, familiarity etc. As a tactile installation, it was not only playful and enjoyable but also intellectually engaging as reported in the feedback we received.
The data collected from this pilot upon is unveiling promising correspondence between particular localities and the ageing-related human metrics therein. This initiative, when scaled and fine tuned for every local ward in the city, will help us further develop a framework for addressing conscious ageing in a complex Indian city like Bengaluru.
