The Turkish Alzheimer Association organised a press conference, inviting the members of the press, people with dementia and their caregivers on 21 September, World Alzheimer's Day. The event was organised at the Istanbul Day Care Center and kindergarten students visited after the conference. Everyone had a pleasant time together. The President of the Turkish Alzheimer Association, Professor Haşmet Hanağası said, in his opening speech:
“The number of patients with dementia doubles every 20 years. The number is around 50 million today, it is projected to reach 150 million by 2050. Good care for Alzheimer patients has a positive impact on the course of the disease.”
At this point, he emphasised the importance of Alzheimer's daycare centres which provide great convenience for both people with dementia and their relatives. People living with dementia can socialise in Alzheimer's daycare centres and activities such as dance, exercise, music and manual skills, which are guided under the supervision of experts, both contribute positively to the course of the disease and provide motivation to the centre users and their relatives. He added that these centres create a social environment that connects people with dementia to life, enables them to lead a quality life, gives life energy through activities and allows them to have a pleasant time. Prof. Hanağası said that it is also very effective for the people who care for them, especially relatives, who can spare some time for themselves while their family members are in professional hands in a place where they will have a pleasant time, even for a short time. He pointed out that the relatives also very often participate in daytime activities and make friends with other relatives, while the person with dementia, who is constantly in contact with the smiling faces of the staff, has less anxiety.
