Tien projecten tegen dementie krijgen EFID prijs 2012 (en)

© NEF

Ten projects led by community based organisations from eight European countries received on January 16th in Brussels the 2012 EFID Awards.

The European Foundations’ Initiative on Dementia (EFID) awards, each worth up to 10,000 Euros, are designed to recognize and encourage the dissemination of good practices that help people with dementia and their families to live well and participate actively in their local community.

The ten 2012 winning projects were selected by an independent and international jury, and each was presented with an award at a ceremony in the presence of HRH Princess Mathilde of Belgium. The award winners, selected from entries that came from across Europe, were:

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  The Bistrots Mémoire, first set up in Rennes in 2004, and now existing in 41 communities across France, which provide ‘normal’, pleasant locations where those with dementia, their carers, professionals and volunteers can meet to exchange feelings and experience;
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  The Enger Alzheimer’s Counselling Centre in Germany is successfully involving many actors from the local community in providing opportunities for those with dementia to meet other inhabitants of all ages in a wide range of activities;
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  Alzak House, in Lamezia Terme, southern Italy, is an intergenerational community day centre for those with dementia and their families, which encourages participation of people in all age groups and the natural networks in society so as to improve integration in the community whilst also narrowing the generation gap;
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  Together for a dementia-friendly Bruges!, in Bruges, Belgium, is a long-term awareness-building programme aimed at fighting the stigmatization associated with dementia, by involving the whole community and encouraging respect and tolerance for those with the condition;
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  Better together than alone! in Lübbecke, Germany, has demonstrated an innovative approach in providing support explicitly for early-stage dementia through bi-weekly support groups, sports and other activities through specially-trained volunteers;
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  Campaign Dementia, in Voralberg, Austria, is succeeding with limited resources, in mobilizing communities to fight the stigmatization related to dementia by involving all actors of civil society to develop original and effective programmes;
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  Service for People with Young Onset Dementia & their Families, UK provides specific and individual support and empowers the local community to take initiatives to provide better integration of people aged 30 to 65 with early onset dementia;
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  The Twinning Programme of Alzheimer’s Disease International, in Bulgaria, has facilitated the transfer of expertise between Bulgaria and elsewhere, to fight prejudice and exclusion experienced by those with dementia via a robust awareness-building programme among the general public;
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  The Missing Persons project in HEKLA, 5 local authority areas in Belgium, was the result of collaboration between the local police and others in the community to rapidly locate and return home missing persons with dementia, a network-based approach that has been so successful it has already been adopted by 8 other local police forces;
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  Oficinas Terapêuticas, in Lisbon, Portugal, aims to help those with dementia regain their self-esteem through the development of old and new capacities and through changing the image of dementia through collaboration with community institutions such as museums.

Improving perceptions of dementia and stimulating solidarity at local level were the motivation for a group of foundations, comprising The Atlantic Philanthropies, the Fondation Médéric Alzheimer, the King Baudouin Foundation and the Robert Bosch Stiftung, to join forces and launch the "Living well with Dementia in the Community" Awards.