Tag Archives: European Union

On ALCOVE, architecture and Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted on by karims3d

When I was little I visited the UN General Assembly auditorium in New York City. This experience left its mark. Historical and beautifully-designed podia built to inspire, mark excellence, and foster communication and debate became my thing.

In March 2011 following an invitation by the Department of Health to chair, co-author and contribute as an executive board member to a programme of work focussing on Early Diagnosis in Dementia, it never occurred to me that two years later I’d be co-presenting our findings at such an  architectural landmark.

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The launch of the ALzheimer’s COoperative Valuation in Europe (ALCOVE) joint action, an EU clinical network incorporating 30 partners from 19 EU Member States, punctuated by an early morning press conference, Image 5

took place at the impressive Palais d’Iéna, built in 1937, now a protected historical monument and the HQ of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council in the heart of Paris.

A final three-day event in Paris preceded the launch. Executive board members planned deliberated and rehearsed the final hours, including the last minute recording of eleven ALCOVE videos. The pace was frantic.

On Thursday the 28th March 2013 Professor Dawn Brooker (Director of the Association for Dementia Studies) and I presented the UK findings alongside guest collaborator Professor Anders Wimo (Karolinska Institute, Sweden).

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Also in our delegation were Jenny La Fontaine & Jennifer Bray (our brilliant researchers, Association for Dementia Studies), Jerry Bird (National Dementia Strategy, Department of Health) and Peter Ashley, (person living with dementia, honorary Masters Degree, University of Worcester). An international audience included delegates from 24 countries. Speakers included

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·         Jean-Paul DELEVOYE, President of the French Economical, Social and Environmental Council

·         Jean-Luc HAROUSSEAU, President of the French National Authority for Health

·         Michael HÜBEL, Head of Programmes & Knowledge management, Health & Consumers DG, European Commission

·         Alistair BURNS, National Clinical Director for Dementia, United Kingdom

·         Michèle DELAUNAY, French Minister of the Elderly and the Autonomy

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Together with the final synthesis report (108 pages) and the full list of recommendations (10 pages) you can capture our main headlines.

Inspired by Egypt’s pyramids, our recommendations on Timely Diagnosis incorporated an incremental strategy to dementia healthcare planning across the EU and within member states.

An approach that will interest all those working in the field, tackling as they do some of the most challenging issues facing health and social care, including the ethics of early diagnosis.

We hope to present the findings and associated reports in the UK throughout this coming year.

ALCOVE has enabled us an unprecedented glimpse of the status of dementia services across Europe. To me the Paris launch combined excellence in design with new advances in science. A fitting rite of passage!

As the globe wakes up to the impact of dementia, it is my belief that this launch will prove as historical as the Palais d’Iéna.

@KarimS3D

Advancing European healthcare policies for people living with dementia and their carers

Posted on by karims3d

As a member of ALCOVE’s executive board, it gives me great pleasure to announce the arrival of a new and far-reaching joint action project, co-financed by the European Commission.

The last 50 years in Europe have seen an increase in life expectancy, as well as a corresponding surge in diseases linked to ageing, particularly dementia. Given the high prevalence, cost, and profound impact on society of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, the European Union has accorded dementia a high public health priority.

ALCOVE brings together 30 partners from 19 EU Member States to improve our knowledge and information exchange on dementia and its consequences, and to preserve health, quality of life, autonomy, and dignity of people living with dementia and their carers in EU member states.

ALCOVE’s main objectives are to:

  • establish a European network of healthcare institutions
  • inform and advise policymakers, healthcare professionals, caregivers, and citizens through convergent recommendations
  • reduce the risks associated with psychotropic drug use, particularly antipsychotics.

ALCOVE aims to improve data on dementia prevalence; access to early dementia diagnosis; care for those living with dementia, especially those with behavioural and psychological symptoms; and the rights of people with dementia, particularly with respect to advance declarations of will. A Toolkit to reduce Antipsychotics will also form part of the project.

In conducting this work, ALCOVE draws on previous European studies, and existing networks.

England’s task includes making recommendations to improve early diagnosis, very topical. don’t you think?

I look forward to collaborating with Professor Dawn Brooker and her team (Association for Dementia Studies, Worcester University) to deliver this timely piece of work.

For more about progress visit http://www.alcove-project.eu/

ALCOVE will report its findings in Paris in the Spring of 2013 so watch this space.

@KarimS3D