The meeting, attended by experts from different regions, is aimed at professionals, but also patients and relatives

A total of 150 professionals from the Balearic Islands have registered for the 3rd Conference of the Balearic Islands Neurodegenerative Disease Strategy, which is taking place today at the Hospital Universitari Son Llàtzer. This meeting will enable progress to be made towards the multidisciplinary care required by people affected by these pathologies and their families, as explained by the Regional Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs, Patricia Gómez, during the inauguration.

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Gómez recalled that neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s disease, sclerosis and

Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington’s disease are conditions of the nervous system that are characterised by the great disability and dependence they cause, by the complexity of the biopsychosocial care they require and by the significant social and economic costs they generate.

For this reason, he stressed, it is important to promote coordination between the different areas of care and cooperation between the social and health resources involved in the care of all these people.

In this regard, she referred to the joint work carried out by the Ministry of Health and the autonomous communities, which has resulted in several relevant documents, such as the Strategy for Neurodegenerative Diseases of the National Health System; the Document for the approach to amyotrophic lateral disease and the Comprehensive Plan for Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias 2019-2023.

The Balearic Islands Health Service also published the Dementia Protocol. Recommendations for the detection, diagnostic process and referral of patients with cognitive-behavioural impairment and the Amyotrophic Lateral Disease Strategy of the Balearic Islands 2019-2023.

These tools should serve as a guide for professionals when it comes to offering comprehensive and integrated care by the health and social spheres, which is adapted to the needs of each patient.

The conference, which reached its full capacity of 150 professionals, is also aimed at patients. Among the topics covered in the talks were early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, social and health care coordination in long-term care, information for carers at the time of diagnosis and listening to people with or close to neurodegenerative diseases.

There are also four workshops: on the dementia protocol, effective communication in health processes, the legal aspects involved in dementia and non-pharmacological therapies as a therapeutic tools in dementia.

The meeting is promoted by the Planning Service of the Directorate General of Benefits and Pharmacy and led by the coordinator of the Strategy for Neurodegenerative Diseases of the Balearic Islands and head of the Neurology Service of the Hospital Universitari Son Llàtzer, Ana Espino. Professionals from various regions of Spain are taking part.