Alzheimer Patients Are in Good Hands in Karatay

ALZHEIMER DAY CARE CENTER, HEALING FOR PATIENTS; HOPE FOR THEIR RELATIVES

The Alzheimer's Day Care Center, which was built in Konya in 2016 with the support of Karatay Municipality, has been serving hundreds of Alzheimer's patients and their relatives for 6 years. The center, which continues its activities in cooperation with the Alzheimer's Association of Turkey, Necmettin Erbakan University and the Provincial Health Directorate, is often praised by many national and international organizations, especially the World Health Organization.

The Alzheimer's Day Care Center, which started its operations in 2016 with the cooperation of Karatay Municipality, Turkish Alzheimer's Association and Necmettin Erbakan University, continues to serve Alzheimer's patients in its two-storey building with a garden.

The center, which has suspended its activities due to the pandemic that has affected the whole world, and has started to serve again when the effect of the pandemic decreases, is a light of hope for patients and their relatives with experts in their fields, friendly staff.

THEY STOP THE DISEASE WITH ACTIVITIES

Beginning, early and mid-term Alzheimer's patients, who are taken from their homes by the shuttle bus allocated by Karatay Municipality every day, both have a pleasant time at the center with social activities prepared for them throughout the day, and also do special studies that will contribute to their health.

In this context, Alzheimer's patients receive special support to slow down Alzheimer's disease throughout the day with activities prepared according to their hobbies and abilities. In the center which has event and seminar halls, a kitchen and a resting and dining room in addition to activities such as writing or reading stories and poems, mental activities such as concept recognition and word derivation are also carried out. In the center where many psycho-motor activities such as cutting/gluing, tying threads, stringing beads, and providing balance, activities are carried out. Activities such as walking, daily regular sports, breathing and rhythm exercises, singing, special day celebrations, informative and educational programs, seminars and meetings are also held in the center.

FIRST UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED CENTER IN TURKEY

Patients who benefit from Alzheimer's Day Care Center, which is the first university- supported center in Turkey, are given special attention. The academic support given at every stage such as nutrition, personal development, therapies for patients, many other health- related studies and social activities has great importance.

The center is also Necmettin Erbakan University Education-Care-Application and Research Center for the Elderly and Disabled People. In this context, students from departments of the university such as Social Services, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation and Psychology come to the center and take care of Alzheimer's patients.

SELECTED as “BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLE” by the ‘WHO’

Alzheimer's Day Care Center is frequently praised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as the Ministry of Health. As a result of the research and examination carried out by the World Health Organization, on the projects of the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, Croatia, Kazakhstan and Turkey in the aforementioned area in the past years, Karatay Alzheimer's Day Care Center has been declared as the "Best Example of Good Practice” in the field of integration of health and social sectors in providing long-term care in Turkey.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND LOVE MEETS PATIENTS

Prof. Dr. Figen Güney, Alzheimer's Association Konya Branch Chairperson, stated that “Alzheimer's Day Care Center works with an understanding that prioritizes the peace of patients and their relatives. Our target in this center is quality service. Our center has been actively providing patient care and serving as a Day Care Center since 2016. A hundred patients has benefited from the center since 2016. Due to the health of our patients during the pandemic, we had to take a break from our activities for a while. We have started to serve our patients since June. Currently, 20 patients benefit from our center. Our center has been chosen by the WHO as an exemplary project in the world with the cooperation of the university, local government and non-governmental organization in 2019.”

A VERY IMPORTANT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROJECT

Hasan Kılca, Karatay Municipality Mayor, stated that “We consider the Alzheimer's Day Care Center as a very important social responsibility project. The center is a great hope for Alzheimer's patients in Konya. Our patients are taken from their homes one by one by our shuttles and brought safely to the Alzheimer's Day Care Center under the supervision of our experts during the journey. Our patients are rehabilitated and treated in our center. They spend time like a kindergarten with social and cultural activities. After rehabilitation, they are driven back to their homes. Great things have been accomplished so far. From now on, we will continue to approach the subject with the same sensitivity. As all stakeholders, our aim is to make both our patients and their relatives smile and happy. As Karatay Municipality, we have new projects that more patients can benefit from, and we continue to work on this issue.