Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, affiliated with Emirates Health Services, collaborated with Zayed University students for installing an art mural at the hospital to mark World Alzheimer's Day on September 21 to raise community awareness about the condition.
The initiative’s purpose was to shed light on the difficulties faced by those suffering from Alzheimer's and other memory disorders, through an artwork that showcases the Emirati society's and the beauty of is history in addition to expressing hope and memories.
Dr. Noor Al Muhairi, Director of Mental Health Department at EHS, stated that the art mural represents memories and hope, and it serves as an invitation to understand the circumstances experienced by of Alzheimer's Disease patients and to provide psychosocial support to them. The mural also depicts the Emirati society's unity as well as the beauty of its heritage and history, through an artistic interpretation that aims to enhance social integration and mutual understanding among all members of the society.
She added that EHS is committed to providing comprehensive and integrated therapeutic services to all members of the UAE community, and that it has launched several initiatives aimed at various age groups. EHS especially focuses on the well-being of the elderly, particularly Alzheimer's patients who require specialized care that contributes to their wellbeing and reduces the burden and complications of the disease.
Dr. Ammar Albanna, Directorof Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, one of EHS’ hospitals, said that the celebration of World Alzheimer's Day through the mural is part of the efforts of EHS to highlight the role of the family and society in enhancing the quality of life of seniors suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Ammar praised Zayed University's female students in the College of Arts for their remarkable initiative and creative spirit. They created a distinctive artistic concept for a mural, drawing inspiration from Emirati families’ reality. He further emphasized that the initiative establishes a precedent for collaborative design efforts involving the university, healthcare practitioners, and patients.
Dr. Ammar also discussed the specialized psychiatric care program for seniors launched by EHS in collaboration with "Maudsley Health", and its role in educating health care workers and doctors in adhering to the highest international standards and providing the best specialized psychiatric care to seniors.
A treatment unit specialized in mental health of Older Adults
The hospital's celebration of the event comes at a time when EHS is enhancing its services for seniors and upholding the best international practices in the field of mental health. Adding onto that, it opened the first specialized mental health treatment unit for older adults in October 2021, which is the first of its kind in the UAE.
Pioneering developments in the utilisation of AI in the diagnosis of "dementia"
This unit has achieved several milestones since its establishment, including being the first Middle Eastern health institution to utilize AI for dementia diagnosis. It also introduced cognitive stimulus therapy for memory-related disorders. In 2022, it received recognition for the best innovation in automating government procedures for The Artificial Intelligence Dementia Diagnosis Project and the Gold Award from the International Federation of Hospitals for its the ‘Mental Health of Older Adults’ project 2022.
With direct support from EHS, the hospital leverages local and international events to hold awareness programmes, campaigns, and research initiatives related to the diagnosis and treatment of mental and cognitive diseases. Additionally, as part of its training and teaching programmes, it organises specialised mental health training for the elderly.
Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital is the first specialized mental health hospital in the Middle East to obtain international accreditation (JCI). The hospital also received the international accreditation for occupational health and safety from the British Classification Authority.
The hospital provides high quality mental health services through its various departments. It includes several departments and clinics, including outpatient clinics, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic, Adult Psychiatry clinic, Older Adult Psychiatry Clinic, Addiction Psychiatry Clinic, People of Determination Psychiatry Clinic, Forensic psychiatry clinic and community psychiatric clinics.