Dear Colleagues,

How Dementia and Alzheimer make attack to wellness and socioeconomic development of society?

2-4 of October 2017 - 27th  Alzheimer Europe conference "Care  today, cure  tomorrow" was to take place in Berlin(Germany). The focus of  sessions at the Alzheimer Europe Conference was on the experience of living with dementia and the importance of innovative care in supporting people with dementia and their carers.

Dr Anders Wimo from Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) on “The cost of dementia care”. According to him, 47 million people in the world lived with dementia (about 10.5 million in Europe) in 2015 and these numbers are expected to increase to 75 million in 2030 and 132 million in 2050. The socioeconomic impact is enormous with global costs estimated at USD 818 billion in 2015 of which 40% are due to informal care.

Prof. Knut Engedal from the University of Oslo (Norway) gave his presentation on “Care guidelines and national dementia strategies” and stressed that such strategies should be based on important ethical principles such as autonomy and dignity and the framework of person-centred care. In countries with strategies, the awareness of dementia in the public has been improved, more people with signs of dementia have received a diagnosis and more people have had access to services according to their needs. Another way of developing high-quality care for people with dementia is to establish national care guidelines, based on the best evidence from the literature. However, it is of importance that care guidelines and dementia strategies are anchored at national social and health authorities and that politicians are willing to finance public services that are recommended by the care guidelines and strategies.

Prof. Lieve Van den Block from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) presented the “PACE project and its implications for palliative care for people with dementia” and stressed that the provision of high-quality palliative care should be a priority for nursing and care homes in Europe. The EU-funded PACE project studying palliative care in Belgium, the Netherlands, England, Finland, Poland and Italy found that the quality of end-of-life care for people with dementia in nursing homes and nursing home staff’s knowledge of palliative care must be improved.

27th of October 2017 was 5th International conference of Alzheimer care houses association  "The comprehensive approach to the development of dementia challenge in Lithuania".

Was evaluate demografic, emigration, social, palliative care situation and guality of care  for dementia and Alzheimer in Lithuania.

For stabilization of care homes staff emigration from  Lithuania is need increase monthly salary and will change immigration law and will take staff from foreign countries.

Everyone region must will improve  care in the citizents homes, palliative care in the nursing homes. Example is  Kaunas city municipality: 10 elderly homes founder- municipality, 20 elderly homes founder- private person. Good practic of organize social service and training of care staff  is  in Sweden(Swedish Care International AB).

The participants of conference was take information  about the comprehensive approach to the dementia challenge  in  Sweden,   prevention of infections  in the care homes - Sleep Angel-Ireland. Influence of biology active  materials  for ageing  and  dementia- Fohow -China. Security system of key and other  things  for people with dementia ("Key Tracker",UK).

Participants of the he Conference (228) was send  Appeal to  the  President of  Lithuania, Chairman of Parliament of  Lithuania and Prime  Minister of  the Government  of  Lithuania for attention to the diagnostic, prevention and care, palliative care of dementia and Alzheimer. Suggestions for better partnership and colloboration  between  Government institution ( Ministry of Social Security and Labour, Ministry of  Health)  and private institutions: day care, care in the homes and palliatyve care. Possibility  will  take finance support  from EU.

All information in:  http://www.alzheimerioistaigos.lt/en/conferences.html

Good luck in the Partnership and Colloboration for prevention of  Dementia!

With best regards,

Dr.Edmundas Jonynas-Koževnikovas

President of Alzheimer Care Houses Association