From: Structures for the care of people with dementia: a European comparison
Population (2021) | 83.1 million [23] |
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Area (2021) | 357,000 km² [21] |
Spread of dementia-specific outpatient care services for people with dementia | Nationwide |
Expert notes regarding outpatient care | Outpatient nursing services, in particular, are very widespread, while outpatient GP and geriatric, psychotherapeutic, and rehabilitative care for people with dementia in rural areas is critical. |
Spread of dementia-specific inpatient care services for people with dementia | In several regions |
Expert notes regarding inpatient care | Facilities such as dementia units or structures such as dementia files are not yet available in all hospitals. As general somatic units often lack geriatric knowledge, care for people with dementia in hospitals is often inadequate. |
Expert conclusion regarding dementia-specific care structures | Services for people with dementia often lack sensitivity to the specific needs of these people. The number of dementia-friendly specialists and general practitioners is far too low. Furthermore, too many people with dementia drop out of the informational and counselling system due to a lack of specific information for people with other diversity characteristics such as early-onset dementia, a migratory background, or homosexual orientation. In addition, participatory care and research with people with dementia and their relatives rarely occur. Overall, good offers exist, but a different structuring of the care system is needed. |
Existing models of good practise | 1. The concept of dementia-friendly hospitals, 2. the high activity of Alzheimer societies at the national and regional levels, 3. the almost nationwide availability of comprehensive information for people with dementia |