August and September were very intense months for the association Dementia Lithuania. Being a Board member of the association, I had the honour to be one of the speakers, representing people living with dementia and their carers in the panel discussion dedicated to World Alzheimer's Month and the end of a campaign calling for a national dementia strategy in the country. The panel discussion, titled "Is Dementia Nobody‘s Question: Is It Already Time for National Dementia Strategy?“, was organised in the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, hosted by Monika Ošmianskienė, Member of the Lithuanian Parliament and Chairperson of the Disability Affairs Committee. Parliament Members, representatives of the Ministries of Social Security and Labour and Health, representatives of the academic community, service providers, carers and representatives of people with dementia gathered in the Constitution Hall.
The purpose of the event was to discuss the situation of dementia management in the country, the status quo and the direction in which dementia policy and practice should be directed to address the challenges of a rapidly ageing society. Carers, doctors and service providers spoke out about the limitations of the national system: Uneven access to health services, late diagnosis, lack of inter-agency and cross-sectoral collaboration, as well as a lack of post-diagnostic support. Both Ministries acknowledged that close collaboration in dementia management is critical, but noted that the process is complex. The stalled tax reform is also holding back positive changes. Without inter-agency and cross-sectoral collaboration people with dementia and carers remain trapped by bureaucracy.
The symbolic handing over of the call for action wrapped up the panel discussion. Lithuanian residents were invited to speak out about the need to have a national dementia strategy, with around 2,000 people responding to this call. Supporting letters were received from the Lithuanian Union of Nurses, the Lithuanian Association of Social Work Schools and from the Association of Public Health Bureaus in Municipalities. A petition appeal will now be prepared and sent to the Parliamentary Petitions Committee. Pictured: Sonata (right) taking part in the World Alzheimer's Month panel discussion
