On 25 October 2010 the Finnish Ministry of Health announced plans for the development of a Finnish Alzheimer's Plan and started the nomination process for members of the working group who will report back by the end of 2011.

AE: Minister, you recently announced that Finland should start the development of a national dementia strategy. What motivated you to give such a priority to dementia?

Paula Risikko (PR): As the Minister of Health and Social Services I deal with a wide spectrum of public health issues. I’m very motivated to tackle those issues that pose a serious challenge for our social and health care system.

In the next few decades, the Finnish population will be ageing fast. Our aim is to promote healthy ageing keeping in mind the life course perspec- tive. This is where the national strategy concerning memory disorders and diseases comes into the picture: brain health promotion, preventive actions and early interventions are of utmost importance.

We have to give a clear message for our municipalities: invest in brain health promotion and prevention as well as early recognition and appropriate interventions and thus, potentially reduce the need for social and health services, especially the need for 24-hour care.

We have a lot of good knowledge and good practices to build our national strategy on: e.g. the Finnish recommendations for best parctices in the treatment of proressive memory diseases by the Panel of experts set up by the Finnish Alzheimer's Disease Research Society. This kind of knowledge has to be exploited and implemented.

I’d like to stress the fact that Finland is not pre- paring just a “dementia” strategy but a memory strategy or programme. The scope must be wider including brain health promotion and prevention keeping in mind the life course perspective.

AE: What will be the next steps for the devel- opment of the strategy and when should the new strategy be put in place?

PR: The Working Group will work until the end of November 2011. During its work an implemen- tation as well as an evaluation plan will be prepared. I’m looking forward to the propositions of the Working Group!

AE: What are the key areas and issues that should be addressed in the Finnish strategy?

PR: I find it important that the programme draws special attention to the promotion of brain health as well as to the entire care chain for persons with memory disorders, its quality and functionality. Staff competence and leadership are factors that secure a continuous and effective care chain.

The national programme to combat memory disorders will be coordinated with the care and quality recommendations and the objectives of social and health policy.

NB. This article first appeared in the Dementia in Europe magazine, issue 7 (March 2011)