The opening and provision of integrated health and social services "Center for care of persons with various forms of dementia" and "Day center for support of persons with various forms of dementia and their families" on the territory of the Municipality of Varna.

Dementia is a progressive degenerative disease of the nervous system that damages the intellectual, psychic and physical abilities of the patients and makes them incapable of taking care of themselves. Mainly affects people aged over 60 years and is gaining in importance due to the increase of human life span and the aging trend of the population . The extreme medico-social significance of this condition is a result of high morbidity, progressive loss of patients’ autonomy and the specific health, moral and financial resources, connected with the care demand. On the territory of Varna municipality currently there are no delegated by the state or locally provided social services for elderly people with dementia. Therefore, residents of Varna are accommodated in institutions on the territory of other municipalities. The number of people seeking accommodation for social services of resident-type is 49 and that ranks Varna district first in the country, according to the analytical report of the Social Assistance Agency for 2017. In the same report, the lack of inclusive social and architectural environment, the insufficient number of social community services for adults and the lack of support from relatives and friends are considered to be the main factors influencing the life quality and the opportunities for social inclusion of people with different forms of dementia. In this context, we have developed a project for the construction of a social infrastructure offering facilities and modern opportunities for implementation of two services, "Day Center for support of people with different forms of dementia and their families" and "Care Center for people with different forms of dementia". The project idea is to improve the life quality of people with dementia, support their relatives with the health care and assistance activities, prevent institutionalization and unnecessary hospitalization as well as post hospitalization measures provision.

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