The beginning of this year saw two important initiatives being launched in Malta.
Firstly, on 18 February, the Maltese Parliament met to discuss current and future dementia policy. Members of Parliament, from both sides of the house, met with professionals working in the various fields of dementia research, management and care to debate on how Maltese policy makers can enhance their contribution towards the dementia cause. The parliamentary session was opened by the speaker who, in his speech, made special reference to the need to make dementia a national priority. Other contributions came from Members of Parliament who, prior to being elected to parliament, practiced the medical profession. They stressed the difficulties that relatives face in taking care of a community-dwelling individual with dementia and the need to continue developing services to meet the ever-increasing demand. Other topics discussed included dementia as a disability, technology, community and long-term care.
The second initiative is a 10-week training programme for informal caregivers and relatives of people with dementia living in the community. The programme is composed of a two-hour session per week for ten weeks and focuses on topics related to promoting independence, dementia-friendly environment, assisted activities of daily living and taking care of yourself if you are a caregiver. The sessions will also give the opportunity for caregivers to share their experiences of care.