(Publication) “Our elders are our living memories”: the plea of Dr. Ndèye Fatou Gaye
As the Senegalese population gradually ages, the question of caring for the elderly is becoming a public health issue. In her book “Geriatric practices in Senegal – the case of the regional geriatric center of Thiès”, Dr. Ndèye Fatou Gaye, doctor graduated from the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, offers an in-depth analysis of one year of operation of this pioneering center.
Resulting from his thesis work, the book aims to make scientific data often confined to the academic environment accessible. “A thesis should not lie dormant in a library. It must be useful, accessible and shared,” says the doctor.
A thesis transformed into a public health tool
At the origin of this book, a clear desire: to promote university research and contribute to the improvement of the health system. For Dr. Gaye, this work is also part of a vision carried by her mentor, Professor Mamadou Coumé, a figure in geriatrics in Senegal. “It was he who had the audacity and foresight to send me to Thiès to document the work of this first regional center,” she explains.
For several months, the doctor observed the operation of the center, analyzed patients’ journeys and spoke with families and caregivers. “For several months, I observed, listened, analyzed: patients, families, caregivers… This experience deserved to be told so that Senegal can take inspiration,” she emphasizes.
For her, geriatrics must today be considered a national priority. “Senegal is changing, our population is aging, but our health system is not yet fully prepared,” she warns, before sending out a clear message. “My message is simple and threefold:
To public decision-makers: invest in geriatrics. The demographic transition is underway. The sooner we prepare our health system, the better we will support our seniors. The model of the Thiès Regional Geriatric Center has proven its effectiveness and deserves to be duplicated in all regions.
To health professionals: train yourself in the geriatric approach. An elderly person is not just a list of illnesses. It is a history, an environment, an autonomy to be preserved. Comprehensive medicine assesses nutrition, cognition, mood and mobility.
To families: you are the primary stakeholders in the health of your elders. Do not wait until the situation deteriorates to consult. The sooner we detect fragility, To families: you are the primary stakeholders in the health of your elders. Do not wait until the situation deteriorates to consult. The sooner we detect fragility, the better we can act. And you are not alone: structures and professionals exist to support you. »
The challenge of population aging
Although Senegal remains a young country, the demographic transition is already perceptible. The increase in life expectancy automatically leads to an increase in the health needs of the elderly. “Life expectancy is increasing and the needs of older people are becoming a major issue,” explains Dr. Gaye.
This development involves in particular an increase in chronic diseases, which require specialized structures and a multidisciplinary approach. “Chronic illnesses will become more and more common. This requires specialized centers like the one in Thiès throughout the country,” she insists.
The Thiès regional geriatric center thus represents, according to her, a pioneering experience which could serve as a model for other regions.
Hypertension, diabetes, fragility: the most common pathologies
The study carried out at the Thiès center highlights several dominant pathologies in elderly patients.
Chronic illnesses come first. Cardiovascular pathologies, notably high blood pressure, are the most common. Diabetes affects almost a quarter of consultants (23.8%), while osteoarticular disorders such as osteoarthritis affect around 19% of patients.
But beyond visible illnesses, geriatrics also reveals more discreet but equally worrying syndromes.
“Undernutrition affects 12% of patients, major cognitive disorders 11.5% and depression around 11%,” explains the doctor.
Even more worrying, nearly 30% of patients are considered fragile, that is to say at risk of quickly losing their autonomy.
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