Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic, progressive, degenerative disease of the central nervous system which gradually interferes with all segments of the patient’s functioning. Their family, social, and professional participation is significantly impaired over a period of years. Despite all of this, today it is possible to live a good, long life even with AD and consequent dementia, with the precondition that the society remains friendly towards people with dementia, their caregivers, and their families. Such a society is created through a national strategy for a fight against dementia, along with numerous adjustments and ample aid for people with dementia, simultaneously treating them as people with cognitive deficiencies, encouraging their remaining abilities, and respecting their individual disabilities. Although a national strategy or an action plan for a fight against dementia has yet to be adopted by Croatia, there are numerous friendly initiatives for people with dementia, primarily non-profit organisation such as the Croatian Society for Alzheimer’s Disease, societies such as the Croatian Society for Alzheimer’s Disease and Old Age Psychiatry, and referral centres of the Ministry of Health supported by the Croatian Alzheimer Alliance, which gathers numerous relevant participants and therefore aids people with dementia and their families. All of this is done in the hope that Croatia will soon adopt a national strategy and thereby join numerous European countries who have done so long ago.