engleski

Alzheimer's disease and stigma fight in Croatia

One of the priority goals of Alzheimer Disease Societies Croatia (ADSC) is fight against stigma. ADSC was founded in 1999 and the whole work is still done by volunteers. In our Counselling centre we have monthly meetings for families of persons with dementia (PWD). The ADSC has published four booklets and numerous leaflets in large numbers and distributed them for free in public places. Our members have spoken to media (TV, radio, newspapers) for many times and we have organised numerous lectures, meetings, conferences and congresses. During the 4th Croatian congress on Alzheimer's disease with international participation on St. Andrew's island near Rovinj in October 2008, we have had an exhibition of paintings "Fall of Man - Faces of Dementia" done by our colleague Ljubomir Radovancevic. Every year we celebrate the World Alzheimer's day (September 21st) in public, on most popular sqares in Zagreb. We have also organised the humanitarian public happening called "Summer evenings on Zrinjevac" during which we collected donations for ADSC activities. Our web-site www.alzheimer.hr has been rebuilded and we have an increasing number of visitors ever since. On our help-line we are receiving numerous calls every day, and we are regularly replying to email messages. Through all of the mentioned activities we are fighting stigma of Alzheimer's disease, thus helping PWD, their families and caregivers.

Alzheimer's disease; stigma; care-givers; dementia; families; help; out-institutional care; self-help; volunteers

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