The first challenge that families often face is persuading the person to undergo diagnosis, according to Zbigniew Tomczak, head of the Polish Alzheimer’s Association.
“It is worth remembering that although older age is an important risk factor, Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of ageing. Most people over 65 retain full cognitive function, so any memory problems should be assessed,” he said.
According to Tomczak, the bigger issue after diagnosis is the lack of systemic support for families.
Tomczak says state support for caregivers in Poland is very limited. According to him, the state support benefit is largely limited to people with the highest levels of dependency, leaving many families caring for people with Alzheimer’s without adequate financial support.
Tomczak also points to the legislation on personal assistance. He says the law uses an age criterion of 65, which excludes most people with Alzheimer’s, as the disease is generally diagnosed after that age.
Public social-care homes are financially burdensome for local governments because the cost of maintaining a resident exceeds what can be covered from the resident’s pension, Tomczak said.
Few new facilities are being established and the current ones often face shortage of qualified staff, he said.
(sp)
Source: PAP