A PATH OF HOPE THROUGH THE JOURNEY OF MEMORY. Caring for people with cognitive decline

Rabih Chattat, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Università di Bologna; Patrizia Mecocci, Director of Geriatrics Department and Professor of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Università degli Studi di Perugia; Marco Predazzi, Founder and President of Fondazione Il Melo Onlus, Medical Director of Hotel Alzheimer and Laboratorio Progettuale per l’Housing gerontologico, Gallarate. Moderated by Marco Maltoni, Medicina e Persona, Director of the Palliative Care Unit of Romagna, President of Sul sentiero di Cicely – Per le Cure Palliative APS

From an epidemiological perspective, the number of people affected by dementia continues to grow in the Western world. This condition leads to progressive cognitive decline and potential behavioral and relational difficulties. Facing such degeneration, the suffering of patients and their families can become truly burdensome. Is the person affected by dementia defined by their condition, or is there more? Should we focus on what is gradually lost, or persist in a constructive focus on that irreducible humanity that remains present? Can the stigma surrounding dementia be overcome? Are there scientific, caregiving, and relational innovations worth noting?