In June 2019, Štefanija L. Zlobec, president of Spominčica (Alzheimer Slovenia), attended the conference “Bistrot Mémoire” in Rennes, France, where she gave a presentation on "The global voice of dementia", on behalf of Spominčica and Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI). Her presentation outlined progress made in terms of National Dementia Strategies adopted across the globe, as well as highlighting examples of awareness-raising campaigns.
Ms Zlobec also shared good practices from Slovenia. Over the past two years, a network of “Dementia Friendly Spots” (DFS) has been built. It not has 140 members and has become a recognised example of good practice on how to raise awareness at local level and how to empower residents to live well with dementia and to retain an active role in society. The DFS initiative works by informing staff in shops, banks, post offices and pharmacies, as well as policemen and other community pillars, about dementia, to empower them to better support people living with the condition. So far, Spominčica has opened DFS at the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman, the Social Chamber of Slovenia, the Ministry for Social Affairs, and the Red Cross, as well as at various community health centres, centres for social work, administrative units and other similar locations.
One of the sessions at the Bistrot Mémoire conference was dedicated to minority groups with dementia. It was emphasised that minority groups have emerged as an important section of the population to be taken into consideration when debating issues around dementia.
Pictured (left to right): Jacgues Ferlicot, president of Bistrot Mémoire de Rennes; Jean-Luc Bretonnet, Bistrot Mémoire Rennais ambassador living with dementia; and Isabelle Donnio, vice-president of Bistrot Mémoire Rennais.
