Alzheimer Europe (AE) is delighted to present its two new publications: A comparative report on “Standards for residential care facilities in Europe” and a discussion paper called “Dementia as a disability? Implications for ethics, policy and practice”.
The comparative report was authored by Project Officer Ana Diaz, with the input of AE’s national members and various national experts as well as members of the European Working Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD) and their supporters.
The discussion paper was authored by a working group of 11 experts from across Europe, chaired by Dianne Gove, AE Director for Projects. The EWGPWD was involved throughout and two members of this group, Helen Rochford-Brennan and Helga Rohra, were also members of the AE expert ethics group responsible for the report.
About the comparative report
The 2017 AE Yearbook focuses on the topic of residential care facilities in Europe. It provides an overview of the existing care standards and regulatory requirements these facilities need to meet and addresses key areas that impact on the people in residential care: Physical environment; Staff providing care; Health and social care; End-of-life care; and Abuse and use of restraint.
The information for this comparative report was primarily provided by AE’s national members. For some countries, however, other national experts were also contacted (e.g. Belgium, Austria, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia and Lithuania). Members of the EWGPWD and their supporters were also invited to share their experiences with and views on each of the topics addressed. AE is extremely grateful to everyone who contributed to this publication.
In summary, it provides an overview of existing requirements and standards for residential care facilities. It highlights some important oversights on how dementia is currently addressed or neglected in frameworks and standards in Europe. However, it also highlights examples of good practices in these areas across Europe. Some of the key issues that still need to be considered at policy level are the formulation of clear and legally binding standards with specific considerations of the needs of residents with dementia, appropriate training for staff, awareness raising and the provision of high-quality accessible information to residents, families and staff about their rights and what they should be able to expect from care. We hope this comparative report will be useful in advancing the understanding of this topic and improving the standards of care and the quality of life of people with dementia in residential care.