Marking World Alzheimer Day 2021, for the first time in the country's history and after nine years of activity for the association Alzheimer Udruženje AiR – Alzheimer BiH, key players from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) were brought together around one table to meet and discuss "BH society in the context of dementia – how much we are an empathic society". The goal was to bring together the relevant ministries – Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Justice, Ministry for Education and Ministry for Spatial Arrangement - as well as the Institute for Medical Expertise, the Public Health Institute, the Agency for Standardisation in the Medical Sector, and the Fund of Healthcare Insurance.
Alzheimer Udruženje AiR wanted to have an exchange of information about: dementia; the rights of people living with dementia and their needs; what is lacking in the health and social care systems; the deprivation of rights and position of people living with dementia in relation with other social groups; how bad the demographic picture is; and the impact of the emigration of younger people and experts on BH society in the context of older adults and people living with dementia. In that context, they discussed the need to set dementia in curriculums and the need for development of awareness among children, about people living with dementia and about creating a society that is more empathic to people living with dementia.
Participants identified many problems in all sectors and all agreed that taking action is not a choice, but that it is a necessity. In that context, they also agreed to organise an "Integrated Interdepartmental Group" with representatives from all mentioned entities, that will exchange information and create a common action for improving systems and creating a dementia-friendly community with people living with dementia, where they will not be so much included in society as they will be equal members of it.
