More getting dementia help

Senior Woman in a Nursing Home.Photo: Frank May / NTB scanpix

An increasing number of people with dementia are being offered daytime activities. According to a new report, the number of dementia suffers offered this nearly tripled since 2007.

More than 70 percent of the country’s municipalities now offer such activities, according to a report prepared by the National Expertise Service for Aging and Health.
“Dementia has long been a “silent disease.” Patients and relatives usually pull back from social life and struggle silently while their life is turned upside down,” says Health Director Bjorn Guldvog.
He says the dementia plan the government put in place in 2007 is working to help the relatives of those affected. Today, two thirds of municipalities conducted training for the carertakers of people with dementia, and nearly every third municipality offer support groups.
“Many municipalities have worked well to offer help and activities for families affected by dementia. But having said that, there is still a lot going on to increase capacity,” says Guldvog.

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today