Four Umeå experts have contributed to the National Dementia Strategy

The strategy describes that approximately 150,000 people in Sweden are living with dementia today, and the number is increasing as we live longer and longer. With this comes an increasing demand for resources, competence and research in health care, rehabilitation and dental care.

It is not possible to cure dementia, but it is possible to relieve symptoms, facilitate daily life and improve the quality of life for both people with dementia and their relatives through various medications, care interventions, social care and rehabilitation. “Since the previous strategy was defined in 2017, among other things, dental care, health care and preventive efforts have gained increasing importance,” the new document states.

The strategy indicates that the risk of developing dementia is linked to gender, genetic factors, and environmental factors. In terms of lifestyle, you can prevent memory problems and boost brain health by:

· Changing their eating habits

· To be physically and socially active

· Challenge yourself with different types of brain exercises

· Track your cardiovascular values

The foundation stipulates what should be prioritized for future work within areas that are already part of the current strategy. These are collaboration, staff, knowledge, efficiency, monitoring and evaluation, kin and kin, community, digitalization and social care technology.

The new foundation was first presented by the National Board of Health and Social Care on 29 February during a meeting of the government's Higher Research Council, attended by Eric Roosendaal.

– Personally, I think it is particularly good that rehabilitation is highlighted as one of the priority areas, as this has not previously been included in the Dementia Strategy or national guidelines for people with dementia. Rehabilitation has important effects on this group throughout the course of the disease and should be evident as is the case for other neurological diseases that worsen over time, for example Parkinson's disease. It is also positive to highlight the importance of research in areas such as nursing and rehabilitation, says Eric Roosendaal.

National Council for Health and Social Care News on Dementia Strategy