The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the German Institute for the Prevention of Dementia Diseases (Deutsches Institut für Demenzprävention, DIDP) at the University of Saarland, yesterday afternoon announced the establishment of a new major programme to prevent dementia diseases.
The programme was developed under the National Action Plan for Dementia Diseases, to tackle a disease for which a cure is not yet possible when symptoms of dementia are present, because the damage to the brain is already too advanced.
However, new diagnostic methods will allow signs of the disease to be recognised from an early stage, allowing a range of therapeutic measures for the delay or even prevention of the progression of the disease to be put in place.
"Dementia is a subject very close to my heart," said Minister of Health, Lydia Mutsch. "We see it as a social phenomenon, which requires multi-sectoral responses."
The Dementia Preventio Programme (PDP) provides daily support and care to people with an early diagnosis of dementia, such as Alzheimer's or vascular dementia, to enable patients to better manage the disease.
The PDP also collaborates with physicians, who can submit their patients, with consent, for participation in the programme. Participation is always voluntary and free for patients.
"For each participant the personal risk factors are identified and an appropriate prevention programme is developed. The affected person is accompanied for many years during their illness and given support through advice and actions every day," says Dr. Tobias Hartmann, Coordinator of PDP Luxembourg.
To this end, the DIDP will form "Memory Coaches". These are health professionals who already have experience working with people with dementia disease and who follow continuous training in the field.
The objective of the PDP is to provide sustainable advice to the those with a diagnosis, establish a personalised prevention programme, advise providers of preventive measures on the programme, cooperate with the doctors and examine the results.
"Through the Dementia Prevention Programme, we are committed to an innovative approach. It is particularly important to me to extend the general debate on the theme of dementia through early detection, adequate support after diagnosis and secondary prevention. In this sense, the Programme for the Prevention of Dementia is a model," insists Minister of Health, Lydia Mutsch.
Photo By The Ministry of Health (L-R: Prof. Dr Tobias Hartmann, Director of DIDP and Coordinator at PDP Luxembourg; Lydia MUTSCH, Health Minister; Dr Dorothee Knauf-Hübel, Chief Medical Service)
