What is Armenia National Dementia Prevention Plan?

The National Dementia Prevention Plan will be implemented in Armenia by 2026. This was announced at a press conference Monday by psychiatry consultant of the Ministry of Health, Gevorg Pashikyan, chief specialist of the public health department of the Ministry of Health, Kristine Galstyan, and head of the Alzheimer Care Armenia program, Ofelia Kamavosyan.

Kristine Galstyan said that the Armenian government recently approved the 2023-2026 healthcare development strategy, which includes the National Dementia Prevention Plan which shall be introduced in Armenia step by step by 2026.

The plan includes:

Increased visibility of the disease

According to Galstyan, it is important for the society to be able to recognize the problem, to understand that this is not just an age change, but dementia itself. In this case, families will start to consult a doctor earlier, and therefore it will be possible to prevent the development of deep dementia.

Increasing awareness and capacity of medical staff and family members

Medical personnel must also recognize the first signs of the disease and have the skills to care for such patients. Primary care physicians should know at what stage of the disease they can manage it on their own, and when it is required to consult a specialist: a neurologist or a psychiatrist.

"There should be educational programs for family members. These patients are difficult to manage; special skills are required for that. Due to ignorance and inability to communicate with such patients, family members can show unreasonable aggression towards them," Galstyan said.

Creation of special "memory clubs"

"There is a goal to create memory clubs where the elderly can come, develop, and train cognitive abilities through exercises and communication," said Kristine Galstyan.

Ofelia Kamavosyan, head of the Alzheimer Care Armenia program, informed that today, a memorandum was signed with the Loft club, according to which people over 65 years of age will be able to spend time in this club by pre-registering on Thursdays at 11am. They will be able to communicate with their peers, play educational games, drink tea and coffee, watch movies, sing and dance. In the future, similar "memory clubs" will be set up in all Loft clubs or local clinics in various communities of Armenia.

A few statistics

As Ophelia Kamavosyan, head of the Alzheimer Care Armenia program, mentioned, since June 1, 2022, the Healthy Brain program has been implemented in Armenia, within the framework of which, for the first time in our country, an evaluation of cognitive functions, memory, and orientation in space was carried out. Preliminary assessments of this research show how relevant this matter is today.

"Memory evaluation of people over 40 showed that 35.7% of the respondents have disorders of cognitive functions. This means that if these people turn to a doctor at this stage, it is possible to stop the development of dementia, with its unwanted manifestations," he said.

How to recognize dementia?

According to Gevorg Pashikyan, dementia is a senile or pre-senile disease which is classified among mental diseases. Its prevalence is increasing both in Armenia and throughout the world, along with the aging of the population. Common diseases such as vascular problems, high blood pressure, etc. contribute to the development of dementia.

Signs of dementia: disorientation, exacerbation of certain character traits, aggressiveness, constant accusations against relatives and neighbors. Because of this, there are frequent conflicts in the family. Relatives should understand that this is not a change of character, but a health problem, and they should consult a doctor. Today, as a rule, a doctor is consulted when dementia has already developed and psychotic states begin.

"If you consult a doctor in time, in the stage of impaired cognitive functions, most of the cognitive deficit can be restored," he said.

Risk factors, according to Kristine Galstyan, are smoking, low level of education, and breaking of social ties.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter