Fundación Alzheimer España (FAE) has a tradition of inviting a pair of students from Tufts University (Boston, US), studying abroad for a semester in Madrid, to intern with them. Because of the spread of COVID-19, these students were sent back to the US by their university, but FAE adapted to the circumstances by continuing a remote collaboration with one of the students throughout the summer.
Part of the student’s role was to draw parallels between measures adopted by European and American Alzheimer’s care groups. From that investigation, the strategies implemented by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) were particularly interesting and might be helpful to other groups in Europe.
The AFA now provides a memory screening test easily accessible from its website. The test takes about five minutes, and the results of the test are followed by recommendations and resources for follow-up, which could help with the earlier detection of dementia. The AFA also provides a list of locations where people can do memory screening tests in person if they prefer. Making this test as accessible as the AFA does could be a great way to make it easier for people to test possible changes to their memory and get access to further assessments if needed.
The AFA also works as a hub of resources shared across different groups in the US by having a calendar of online events hosted by various Alzheimer’s groups in the US. Although Alzheimer Europe plays a similar role, its range is across an entire continent with different populations and languages. Having a similar calendar within a nation has the benefit of providing daily events for a clinic or foundation’s patients without putting the onus on a single group, and encourages collaboration among groups.
Enhancing the online presence of Alzheimer’s groups has become increasingly important. With uncertainty about the duration of the current pandemic and potential future outbreaks, being proactive about designing online resources like those the AFA provides can be of great benefit to a large population of people with dementia and their families.
