Zavod Krog from Slovenia and NVU Impuls from Montenegro successfully organized the final event of the project "Protecting of the right to dignified aging and dementia preventing", which runs from January 2022 to the end of December 2023, in the North of Montenegro. The event took place on 10 November 2023, in Tehnopolis in Nikšić and was aimed at sharing the experiences, presenting project results and good practices to important local decision-makers, experts, non-governmental organisations, relevant institutions and the general public. The participants of the event, moderated by Marija Razić, learned about the key project activities through the presentation of Marina Doknić from NVU Impuls, including the first survey of the needs of the elderly, people with dementia, their families and caregivers, which was carried out as part of the project in 2022. It turned out that the concept of dementia in Montenegro is not well understood and is treated only as a symptom of ageing, and as such is not given enough attention.
There is not a single strategic act in the country aimed at directly protecting people with dementia and supporting their families, who feel the greatest impact of care. The project partners believe that these important statistical and research data on dementia can serve as a basis for further research, and in the future also for laws and strategies at both national and local levels regarding the systemic care and support of people with dementia and their family members. The main project activities were also devoted to the training of volunteers to work with people with dementia and their mentoring to offer lay psychosocial support to the aforementioned target groups. Within the project, an e-manual was created that enables the education of the next generations of volunteers, many activities were also aimed at actively raising awareness among the population about dementia, reducing stereotypes and prejudices that are still very present in society.
The event was attended by the president of the Nikšić Municipality, Marko Kovačević, who further emphasised the Municipality’s support for project activities, good practices, and the inclusion of volunteers in the provision of services for which they are qualified, as these are recognised as necessary and are well-received among the target groups. The address of the mayor of Plužine, another partner Municipality, Slobodan Delić, also recognised the importance of good cooperation in the future, as well as that of Igor Galić, the director of the Institute for Public Health, which is an important actor in the field of systemic changes for the benefit of the elderly, people with dementia and their families. The contribution and importance of the project for support in the field of elderly rights and dementia was also expressed by Mladenka Tešić, representative of the Delegation of the European Union in Montenegro, and Mirjana Vidakovič, who, on behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Podgorica, highlighted the many years of successful cooperation with Zavod Krog and emphasised support in the future as well. The project is supported by the European Union, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the Ministry of Public Administration of Montenegro. Volunteers gained a lot of theoretical and practical knowledge by participating in the project. Their feedback was presented by Lejla Srdanović and Radovan Suknović, leaving a special mark on the final event. All volunteers on the project and associated partners also received certificates of appreciation from Zavod Krog and NVU Impuls, as an expression of gratitude for good cooperation and successfully implemented project activities.
The participants of the final event also watched a project video, the purpose of which is to raise awareness about dementia, its signs, prevention, and how and where to seek help. An indispensable part of the final event was also the panel discussion, where experts in the field of health and social care Dr Damir Adrović, Zoran Vukićević and Marija Stanišić shared key information about dementia, what is essential when caring for the elderly, and also emphasised the importance of broader psychosocial support, which can be provided by the volunteers of this project as well. The final event represented an excellent day of socialising, networking, and raising awareness among all participants, partners, decision-makers, and the general public about the importance of interdisciplinary and intergenerational cooperation to the greatest benefit for all stakeholders and society. Zavod Krog and NVU Impuls would like to thank everyone who made the success of this project possible, and emphasise their continued commitment to building a society that strives for well-being and the highest possible quality of life for all its people.
