Introduction
On 14 May 2013, Luxembourg's Health and Family Ministries presented the country's first national dementia plan during a press conference. The two Ministries work in together on different aspects of the plan, with the Ministry of Health being responsible for the areas of prevention, diagnostic standards, medical reimbursement and education, whilst the Family Ministry developed a dedicated website and conducted an awareness campaign that includes a psycho-geriatric training course for health workers.
As part of this work, the Government launched a supplementary plan on dementia prevention in 2015.
Outline of strategy
There are three key themes which where identified during the development of the strategy:
- The necessary mobilization of the whole society to break the stigma around dementia to a change mentality and attitudes
- The duty to support and providing training for the family circle
- Continuous training of staff (professionals and volunteers) supervising people with dementia.
Responding to these themes, the strategy contains a number of actions grouped under the following areas:
- Active Ageing and ageing in good health
- At the first signs of the disease: diagnosis and medical treatment
- Support for the person and their loved ones
- Home care
- Institutional care
- Ethics and the law
- dementia friendly communities
Further information
Further information can be found at: https://www.demenz.lu
The Strategy (in French) can be downloaded below, along with the strategy on dementia prevention (in French and German).