21 September 2015 will mark World Alzheimer's Day, an international day of action aimed at improving the lives of Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers.
In the Grand Duchy, Alzheimer's and, more broadly, dementia represent major challenges to public health in the coming decades, with estimates that the number of people in Luxembourg living with dementia will increase from 6,000 to 8,500 by 2025.
Dementia prevention has been cited as one of the priorities of the Ministry of Health as well as an aspect of the political agenda of the Luxembourg Presidency, with Minister of Health stating "dementia is a social phenomenon which requires multi-sectoral responses".
Particular emphasis has been placed on an innovative approach which will benefit people suffering from dementia. Early detection, proper post-diagnosis support and secondary prevention have all been outlined as central to the debate. In this contect, the 'Dementia Prevention Programme' (pdp), launched in June 2015, will represent a model to be presented to EU Member States at the informal meeting of health Ministers between 24 and 25 September 2015.
The pdp is directed towards people who received a certain early diagnosis. The objective is to delay or prevent the expected development of the disease with a programme combining various preventative measures which allow patients to better manage to disease.
On Saturday 19 September 2015, an international scale event organised by Alzheimer associations and entitled 'Memory Walk' will take place, where those interested in the pdp can find out more infrmation at the stand of the Ministry of Health at Place Clairefontaine in Luxembourg City.
