Offers for young people with dementia should be improved with the merger of the area

A year ago, the Alzheimer’s Society met with Edvard Heen, then director of the Social Welfare Service. Now the association has been at a follow-up meeting with Hjørdis S. Mortensen, the new director of the Social Welfare Service, together with the service director, Asta Marjunardóttir.

It was discussed that the situation remains unchanged for younger people with dementia and their relatives. It is particularly difficult to obtain adaptation, but it also turns out that in many cases it is very difficult for the younger generation to obtain accommodation when the need arises.

Young people with dementia is still the responsibility of the Social Welfare Service, but the new director agrees that the dementia area will be consolidated with the municipalities. She is therefore very pleased that the Minister of State for Social Affairs and Culture, Eirikur í Jákupstovu, has taken steps to bring the dementia sector together.

The Alzheimer’s Society believes that by bringing the area together, it should be easier to obtain organized services, such as adaptation and accommodation for the younger generation, on an equal footing with people over 67 years of age.

However, certain services for people with dementia shall continue to be provided by the Social Welfare Service, such as assistive devices and possibilities for adapted employment for younger people diagnosed with dementia.

MEANINGFUL INTERSECTORAL INTEGRATION

The Alzheimer’s Society called on the Social Welfare Service to undertake a process together with the municipalities as soon as it becomes clear that the area will be transferred to the municipalities. The aim is to ensure a well-organised takeover of the area, both for the user, relatives and employees.

In this context, it is particularly important that younger people with dementia continue to have a community, e.g. in day care, together with other younger people, and not only be offered day care in elderly and nursing homes together with very elderly citizens. It is important to take into account that young people with dementia can maintain as high a quality of life as possible.

The Alzheimer’s Society has a good knowledge of the challenges in the field of dementia, and is therefore pleased with the constructive meeting with the Social Welfare Service, and that steps will finally be taken to bring the dementia field together in Faroe Islands.