Alzheimer Patients are in Safe Hands at Karatay Alzheimer Day Life Center

Alzheimer’s Day Life Centre, which was built in Konya in 2016 with the support of Karatay Municipality, serves hundreds of Alzheimer’s patients and their relatives. The centre, which continues its activities in cooperation with the Alzheimer’s Association of Turkey, Necmettin Erbakan University and the Provincial Health Directorate, is frequently praised by many national and international organizations, especially the World Health Organization. Patients’ relatives are also extremely satisfied with the service provided to their patients by experts in their fields and friendly staff. Patients’ relatives state that the Alzheimer’s Day Life Centre provides a ray of hope for their elders and a great relief for them.

Alzheimer’s Day Life Centre, which started operating 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. 

At the centre, which suspended its activities due to the pandemic that affected the whole world, and started to provide services again when the effect of the pandemic decreased, the friendly staff and experts in their fields are a beacon of hope for patients and their relatives.

STOP THE DISEASE THROUGH ACTIVITIES

Early and mid-stage Alzheimer’s patients, who are picked up from their homes every day by the shuttle vehicle allocated by Karatay Municipality, not only have a pleasant time with the social activities prepared for them throughout the day at the centre, but also carry out special studies that will contribute to their health.

In this context, Alzheimer’s patients receive special support throughout the day to slow down Alzheimer’s disease through activities prepared according to their hobbies and abilities. The centre has event and seminar halls, a kitchen, recreation and dining room. In addition to the activities such as writing or reading stories and poems, mental activities such as concept recognition and word derivation are also carried out. In the centre, many other activities such as cutting/gluing, tying rope, stringing beads, and psycho-motor activities such as balancing are carried out;. Walking, regular daily sports, breathing and rhythm exercises, singing, special day celebrations, informative and educational programs, seminars and meetings are held.

TURKEY’S FIRST UNIVERSITY SUPPORTED CENTER

Special care is given to patients who benefit from the Alzheimer’s Day Life Centre, which is Turkey’s first university-supported centre. Great importance is given to academic support at every stage, from nutrition, personal development, therapies for patients, many other health-related studies and social activities.

The centre is also Necmettin Erbakan University Elderly and Disabled EducationCare-Application and Research Centre. In this context, students of the university’s departments such as Social Services, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation and Psychology come to the centre and care for Alzheimer’s patients.

SELECTED BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLE BY THE “WHO”

Alzheimer’s Day Life Centre 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 field in question in recent years, the World Health Organization ranked Karatay Alzheimer’s Day Life Centre as the “Best in the field of integration of health and social sectors in providing long-term care in Turkey”. It was declared as “Good Practice Example”

GREAT SERVICE FOR PATIENTS’ RELATIVES

The centre, where patients spend most of the day, is not only for the patients or the academic world. It is also of great importance in reducing the burden on patients’ relatives. While patients benefiting from the centre spend time in the centre throughout the day, patients’ relatives can also continue their lives without any problems at home or at work. 

MY MOTHER SEES THE CENTER AS A SCHOOL

Medine İleri, the daughter of Alzheimer’s patient Fatma Çelebi, states that her mother’s disease has not progressed since she went to the Alzheimer’s Day Life Centre and says that her mother sees the centre as a school. She stated that “My mother has been going the centre since it was opened. Her disease has not progressed since then. We are very pleased with the services of our centre. Thanks to this place, my mother’s care at home has become easier. I would like to thank Karatay Municipality very much. God bless you. When my mother goes there, we can do our work, shop, and rest at home. When my mother was at home, we couldn’t leave her and go anywhere. We had difficulties when the centre closed during the pandemic period. Now that it has reopened, we have started to make time for both our routine work and our social life. I pray for Karatay Municipality and the authorities there every day. The free service provided to our parents is also a blessing for us. My mother enjoys going there and sees it as a school. When she comes home in the evening, we ask how her day was. At first, she barely spoke at all but now she talks about the meals and the activities during the day, one by one. This service of Karatay Municipality is so valuable to all of us. I would like to thank everyone who made this service possible, but especially our Mayor of Karatay.” 

MY FATHER IS MUCH HAPPIER NOW

Fatma Can, who sees her father off to the centre every morning, emphasizes that her father is much happier since he went to the centre. Fatma Can stated that “the health centre officials recommended the Alzheimer’s Day Life Centre. The centre’s officials contacted them immediately. Our family doctor from the Health Centre recommended this centre to us. We applied and they picked up my father the next day. My father is happy to go to the Alzheimer’s Day Life Centre and is much happier now. He sings songs and spends time with his friends. My mother is also bedridden at home. When my father goes to the centre, I can take care of my mother much more easily. May God bless Karatay Municipality and everyone working in the centre for providing this service to us.