Towards a dementia-friendly Flanders

Dementia Plan Flanders 2010 – 2014

Department of Welfare, public health and family

The whole population is involved…

Today there are 100.000 people with dementia in Flanders

> 2 / 3 are living at home

> 1.800 young persons with dementia

> Increase of 30% in 2020

Dementia is a matter that concerns the whole society

> Almost everyone knows someone with dementia

> All governments are concerned

> The stakeholders in the care sector

Some important developments in the Flemish care sector …

> Socialization of care

> Focus on autonomy, informal care, volunteers, home care

> Holistic view on care: an answer on both physical, social and mental needs

> Integrated care – ‘decompartmentalisation’

> Respect for human dignity

Need for a Dementia Plan Flanders …

> Goal = a dementia-friendly Flanders

> Initiative of the Flemish Ministery of Welfare, Public Health and Family

> Plan for 2010 – 2014 with different objectives and actions

Actions and objectives of the plan (1)

Destigmatization and nuanced image building

> Socialization of care means that society is open for people with dementia

> A negative image leads to isolation and a not adapted care

ACTIONS

> Awareness-raising campaign

> Promotion of dementia-friendly municipalities

Actions and objectives of the plan (2)

Health promotion: a healthy mind in a healthy body> Dementia has different causes

> A healthy life style means prevention of dementia, for the moment the only possible way…

ACTIONS

> Recommendations for general practitioners for preventive medical control

> Stimulation of an active lifestyle for elderly

> Coordination of research projects (Flanders Care)

Actions and objectives of the plan (3)

More autonomy for the persons involved and support for the informal care

> Striving for more participation for persons with dementia and their informal carers

ACTIONS

> Support for self-organizations

> Monitoring of participation in residential care + developing of residential care (short stay, day care centers, social services, home help, …)

> Developing an integrated provision

> …

Actions and objectives of the plan (4)

Improving diagnosis

> A big gap between determination first symptoms and start of treatment and support

ACTIONS

> Updated code of practice for GP’s

> Better inform population among other things via centres of expertise for dementia…

Actions and objectives of the plan (5)

Housing facilities for people with dementia

> Focus on home environment and on living on a small scale

ACTIONS

> Use of new technologies

> Stimulate dementia-friendly building and housing

Actions and objectives of the plan (6)

An integrated care that is affordable, sufficient and client centered

> Continuous Training for the social workers

> Support for the informal carers through expanding of the home care

ACTIONS

> Screening of the actual training

> Use of volunteers in the home care

> Day care centers, short stay

Actions and objectives of the plan (7)

Early planning of palliative and end of life care

> Better inform the population on existing legislation and care possibilities in the palliative phase

Special attention to ‘forgotten groups’

> Younger people with dementia, immigrants, poor people, people with disabilities

Innovation via Science and Research

Knowlegde Center Social EuropeJos Sterckx, directorm +32 477 44 97 14t +32 2 205 00 47jos.sterckx@kcse.be www.kcse.be

Mr. Jo VandeurzenFlemish Minister for Welfare, Public Health and FamilyWalter Brusselaers, Advisor Elderly care walter.brusselaers@vlaanderen.be, +32 2 552 64 00www.ministerjovandeurzen.bewww.zorg-en-gezondheid.be

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