The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared September 21 as World Alzheimer’s Day, a neurodegenerative disease that slowly alters the normal functioning of the cognitive processes and behavior of the person and gradually leads to the loss of the ability to lead an autonomous and independent life in the personal, family, work and social spheres.
The life of an Alzheimer’s patient is characterized as «a life without memories» and his/her memory loss transforms him/her to the point of suffering for something he/she only imagines and for not being able to enjoy the good things that each stage of life presents. The Alzheimer patient is an extremely vulnerable person that our society must protect, preventing the possibility of any kind of abuse they could suffer and protecting them, investing human and economic resources in this.
Statistical data show that with advancing age, the possibility of being affected by Alzheimer’s disease increases, so that, especially in countries with a high number of elderly people, this disease affects the whole family of the affected person who has to face emotionally painful and demanding situations in everyday life to accompany their sick loved ones.
The purpose of World Alzheimer’s Day is to raise awareness of the needs of patients and offer them memory stimulation therapies and mental exercises, provide training and support to both people suffering from the disease and their caregivers, research on Alzheimer’s disease and its treatments and promote disease prevention campaigns, working on modifiable risk factors.
On this occasion, at the level of different realities, several initiatives are carried out to raise awareness of this disease that, sooner or later, can touch the life of each person, so that, as far as possible, we can help prevent the devastating effects of the disease on the person and society and create a network of integrated assistance that accompanies the patient and his family in the ordeal they have to live.