In early spring 2018, France Alzheimer launched a programme dedicated specifically to people with dementia. With this programme, the French organisation hopes to provide new answers to those recently diagnosed.
One of the main objectives of this programme is to improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their caregivers and especially to enable the newly-diagnosed person to be proactive in dealing with what they are going through, by helping them to process the situation. During these sessions, the people with dementia are invited to mobilise their own resources to enable them to adapt their daily lives to the new situation. Furthermore, the pilot of the programme suggests they share their experiences and needs within the group, in order to find appropriate answers, strategies and compromises to maintain relationships with family, friends and other social relationships.
France Alzheimer has identified three main admission criteria for the programme, for future beneficiaries. First of all, the diagnosis must already have been made and announced. Then, essentially, the person concerned must be interested in the programme, wish to participate and express a will to share their experiences within a group.
This programme, in which the caregiver may not participate, is threefold:
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A personalised group information sessionto identify the needs and define priorities for people with dementia
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Several group workshopslasting two hours each :
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Workshop 1 : Share my experience and knowledge of the disease
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Workshop 2 : Emphasize my skills and share my solutions
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Workshop 3 : Identify my available tools to help in my daily life
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Workshop 4 : My family and social environmment, and me
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Workshop 5 : Managing my stress
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Workshop 6 : What are my wishes?
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A final individual overviewled bythe workshop moderator, whowill be able to assess the impact of the programme on the quality of life of the person concerned and those around them.
The evaluations carried out after the first programmes have shown a high level of satisfaction among the beneficiaries. They mention in particular:
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Less frequent feelings of isolation and a higher level of self-esteem
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Benefits from supporting each other and sharing strategies
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A resumption of activities and a feeling of success.