Torreblanca
The Castellón Association for Families of Alzheimer Sufferers (AFA) has a new local group in Torreblanca
AFA is working on standardisation and advances in diagnosing Alzheimers.
The association is going to open an Aula de Memoria in Torreblanca and will provide information and support for families of patients with this illness.
On 20th May the local committee in Torreblanca of the AFA Castellón held a meeting to inform people about the Aula de Memoria which would soon open in Torreblanca as well as giving information about the different services which the association provides throughout the province.
The meeting was organised by the Social Worker, Minerva Tirado, and the psychologist, Monica Abión, and was attended by the director of AFA Castellón, Silvia Ramos.
The main aim of these meetings is so that people do not see the illness as something shameful which has to be hidden, but that through meeting with other relatives of sufferers they can feel they are not alone in this difficult time, and share experiences so that they can feel that they are not the only ones with these problems.
AFA already has a place in Torreblanca where it can start its activities, and they are already selecting qualified people to attend to the users, as well as opening up opportunities for carrying out voluntary services. They will soon announce the start of courses for volunteers, consisting of 20 hours of theory training and 20 hours practical, for those interested in working with the association.
During the meeting, Monica Abión explained the different types of dementia, primary and secondary, pointing out that the most frequent has 100,000 cases diagnosed in the Valencian Community.
The first phase of the illness is usually noticed by frequent forgetfulness, the sufferer stops doing things that they used to do; they cannot find the right words, their moods and behaviour change.
In the second phase of the illness the symptoms become even clearer, with space/time confusion, difficulty in following a conversation, serious problems of speech and lack of comprehension of simple instructions, difficulty in carrying out complicated movements, loss of short term memory, isolation and serious changes in behaviour.
In the third phase, they become totally disorientated and with the total absence of memory and total lack of independence, the patient requires constant care.
When these symptoms are noticed, they should be explained immediately to the family doctor so that the patient can be sent to the neurologist and treatment can be started as soon as possible. It is considered extremely important that attention is received as soon as possible to prevent the worsening of the condition, with pharmacological treatments, stimulation, an appropriate diet and psychotherapy being some of the treatments prescribed for patients so that the Alzheimer does not progress in an uncontrolled manner.
AFA Castellón works to sustain the patients’ retained capacities, through daily routine, medication and stimulation. They are developing programmes which can be followed at home and others in the different centres they manage in the province of Castellón. There are 4 Day Centres (Vila-real, Vinaros, Vall d’Uixó and Onda) and 4 Respite Units (Alcora, Nules, Benicarló and Castellón). With the one which they are setting up in Torreblanca, the association will have 15 delegations (Castellón, Burriana, Onda, Vall d’Uixó, Nules, Morella, Vinaros, Benicarló, Vila-real, Segorbe, Oropesa del Mar, Alcora, Betxi, Benicassim and Torreblanca).
The association offers special attention to families and carers, as it is an illness which needs everyone’s involvement, to lighten the load of caring, particularly in the more advanced stages of the illness.
AFA is working on standardisation and advances in diagnosing Alzheimers.
The association is going to open an Aula de Memoria in Torreblanca and will provide information and support for families of patients with this illness.
On 20th May the local committee in Torreblanca of the AFA Castellón held a meeting to inform people about the Aula de Memoria which would soon open in Torreblanca as well as giving information about the different services which the association provides throughout the province.
The meeting was organised by the Social Worker, Minerva Tirado, and the psychologist, Monica Abión, and was attended by the director of AFA Castellón, Silvia Ramos.
The main aim of these meetings is so that people do not see the illness as something shameful which has to be hidden, but that through meeting with other relatives of sufferers they can feel they are not alone in this difficult time, and share experiences so that they can feel that they are not the only ones with these problems.
AFA already has a place in Torreblanca where it can start its activities, and they are already selecting qualified people to attend to the users, as well as opening up opportunities for carrying out voluntary services. They will soon announce the start of courses for volunteers, consisting of 20 hours of theory training and 20 hours practical, for those interested in working with the association.
During the meeting, Monica Abión explained the different types of dementia, primary and secondary, pointing out that the most frequent has 100,000 cases diagnosed in the Valencian Community.
The first phase of the illness is usually noticed by frequent forgetfulness, the sufferer stops doing things that they used to do; they cannot find the right words, their moods and behaviour change.
In the second phase of the illness the symptoms become even clearer, with space/time confusion, difficulty in following a conversation, serious problems of speech and lack of comprehension of simple instructions, difficulty in carrying out complicated movements, loss of short term memory, isolation and serious changes in behaviour.
In the third phase, they become totally disorientated and with the total absence of memory and total lack of independence, the patient requires constant care.
When these symptoms are noticed, they should be explained immediately to the family doctor so that the patient can be sent to the neurologist and treatment can be started as soon as possible. It is considered extremely important that attention is received as soon as possible to prevent the worsening of the condition, with pharmacological treatments, stimulation, an appropriate diet and psychotherapy being some of the treatments prescribed for patients so that the Alzheimer does not progress in an uncontrolled manner.
AFA Castellón works to sustain the patients’ retained capacities, through daily routine, medication and stimulation. They are developing programmes which can be followed at home and others in the different centres they manage in the province of Castellón. There are 4 Day Centres (Vila-real, Vinaros, Vall d’Uixó and Onda) and 4 Respite Units (Alcora, Nules, Benicarló and Castellón). With the one which they are setting up in Torreblanca, the association will have 15 delegations (Castellón, Burriana, Onda, Vall d’Uixó, Nules, Morella, Vinaros, Benicarló, Vila-real, Segorbe, Oropesa del Mar, Alcora, Betxi, Benicassim and Torreblanca).
The association offers special attention to families and carers, as it is an illness which needs everyone’s involvement, to lighten the load of caring, particularly in the more advanced stages of the illness.
