In a press release on 15 December 2023, Alzheimer Switzerland announced their joint project with Swiss Memory Clinics to implement minimum standards of care and support during the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, to ensure a timely diagnosis combined with information that leaves the newly diagnosed individual with a sense of agency in spite of the diagnosis. These two organisations have been working together since 2021 to promote the early detection of Alzheimer’s and related dementias and to tailor the information and advice given to people who are diagnosed. Though Alzheimer’s is not yet curable, those benefiting from an early diagnosis and the right care and support can slow the progression of the disease and improve their quality of life.
People often wait years for a definitive diagnosis, during which time they lack both the support they need and the access to precious resources that an early diagnosis can bring them. But receiving the diagnosis, even when it is expected, can be devastating to the person and their family, leaving them sitting with a multitude of questions and a feeling of hopelessness, and unless the practitioner giving them the diagnosis is aware of the resources available and how to adequately support people, they can walk away from a diagnosis feeling shocked or hopeless. Improving this process is the goal of both organisations.
The diagnostic tools used to reach a diagnosis, the way in which practitioners relay the diagnosis, and the information and support they offer post-diagnosis all contribute to the trajectory of the disease. When this process is informed and timely, it can guide the person through the many decisions they have to make by providing psychological support, facilitating easier access to healthcare, assistance with administrative, financial and legal matters and ultimately improve their quality of life and prolong independent living, delaying or even avoiding entry into nursing homes or hospitals.
