France has a long way to go in terms of screening for Alzheimer’s disease. Today only one out of two patients would be truly diagnosed, that is to say half of the people affected by this neurodegenerative disease. This is the conclusion of a study by Cap Retraite, an organization that advises families looking for a place in a retirement home for an elderly loved one with a loss of autonomy.
Problem, this lack of diagnosis would hinder appropriate care of patients. The quality of care differs depending on the department where you are. Thus the urban departments of Nord, Bouches-du-Rhône and Paris are considered to be the best in terms of care for people with Alzheimer’s, with more than 30% of patients estimated to be cared for.
On the other hand, in certain rural areas such as Creuse, Deux-Sèvres or Gers, care leaves something to be desired. Only 15% of patients would actually be accompanied.
The lines of thought of the Alzheimer plan
The general practitioner plays a key role in the detection of this dementia. The 2008-2012 Alzheimer’s plan has enabled the establishment of more than 400 memory consultation centers and 252 houses for the autonomy and integration of Alzheimer’s patients (MAIA), recalls AFP. In addition to the development of research to better understand the disease, the new alzheimer plan(2014-2019) plans to deploy 100 new MAIAs. This with a view to improving the diagnosis and care of patients.
To ensure the quality of life of patients, 74 new specialized Alzheimer’s teams (ESA) must be created. They should be added to the 415 ESA recorded in 2013.
At the local level, too, we are thinking about the best support strategy for patients, as illustrated by the Alzheimer village project. This alternative to retirement homes for patients with loss of autonomy could see the light of day in the Landes in 2017. It could accommodate 150 patients.
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