On 11 April, the DIMA (Intellectual Disability & Alzheimer's Disease) joint research community website was launched in France. DIMA aims to bring together researchers, families, professionals in the fields of disability, gerontology, health, training, people with disabilities, students and resource persons around a shared problem: how best to support people with intellectual disabilities who are confronted with Alzheimer's disease, either because they themselves have the disease or because they are confronted with the onset of the disease in a relative.
The activity of the DIMA community is organised around several axes:
• The organisation of working groups on the experiences and needs of professionals, the experiences and needs of families, the experiences and needs of people with disabilities, appropriate diagnostic approaches and awareness-raising among health professionals, and the obstacles to comprehensive support for disabled people with Alzheimer's.
• The organisation, three times a year, of seminars aimed at advancing the reflection by bringing together the points of view, experiences and knowledge of all the members of the community.
• Information and communication through the creation of a website, a newsletter and pages on social networks.
• The development of international relations in order to see what is being done on this issue in other countries.
Are you concerned by this issue on a personal, professional, family or other basis? Would you like to receive information about the DIMA project? Would you like to share a reflection or an experience on the subject? Do not hesitate to contact Muriel Delporte, scientific coordinator of DIMA: mdelporte@irtshdf.fr