HOME CARE SERVICE Alzheimer Athens Home Care programme is designed for people with dementia who do not have access to the Day Care Centers’ services due to mobility problems. The programme aims to enable persons with dementia to remain in the community for as long as possible and avoid institutional care. Health care professionals visit people with dementia at home on a regular basis and offer nursing services, physiotherapy and cognitive training to people affected and counseling or psychoeducation to their caregivers. Home Care Service Contact details: Pagrati  Markou Mousourou & Stilponos 33 210701327, operating hours 9:00-20:00 grammateia@alzheimerathens.gr All the above services are provided free of charge. Other Alzheimer Athens activities: Awareness campaigns about dementia and memory testing for the public in Athens and in other Greek cities Congresses and seminars for health professionals Participation in European and international research programmes Collaboration with municipalities, the Church and other philanthropic organizations to promote prevention and early diagnosis of dementia Publication of leaflets and booklets about all aspects of dementia and a quarterly magazine, all distributed free of charge and available on the internet.

Greek Dementia Action Plan 

Athens Alzheimer’s Association has made a major contribution to the development and implementation of the National Dementia Action Plan. Dr Paraskevi Sakka was the head of the working group which generated the Greek Dementia Action Plan defining the following set of actions:

1. Establish a national dementia registry to design policies and improve care for dementia patients in the country
2. Improve public awareness and engagement – reduce stigma
3. Improve prevention, early diagnosis and effective treatment
4. Create services for carers and families in all parts of Greece
5. Enhance residential/institutional care, as well as care at home
6. Effectively integrate care pathways and promote coordination of social and medical care
7. Reinforce education and training for healthcare professionals
8. Establish research programs that embrace innovative technologies
9. Create legislation to support patients’ needs and rights
10. Effective implementation-monitor progress- update

Dr Sakka has also been assigned President of the National Observatory of Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, an independent strategic public institution overseeing the implementation of Dementia Action Plan and providing guidance to the state regarding dementia issues. Implementation of the National Action Plan has already started. So far:

• A national dementia registry is underway by the Greek National Health Organization
• A rating system to measure the burden of dementia on families is being developed, taking into account severity of the disease, socioeconomic status, access to health and social care services. This will be used by the State to accordingly establish financial benefits for persons with dementia and their families.
• 6 Memory Clinics in the Psychiatric or Neurological Departments of General Hospitals in the Greek cities are organized
• 7 Dementia Day Care Centers in big cities and 9 Day Care Centers in collaboration with Municipalities in smaller cities are implemented throughout the country
• 3 hospices all over Greece are under construction