The City of Brussels has signed a European charter to become a “dementia-friendly city” on Wednesday on the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Day. As part of the pledge, the city, alongside the Alzheimer's leagues of Wallonia and Flanders, are now committed to guaranteeing the quality of life for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
At an event organised by the leagues at the Brussels Town Hall, entitled “Living in a dementia-friendly city”, representatives of the local government and the two charitable organisations discussed how to best provide access to public spaces for sufferers of the disease, as well as setting up “disappearance protocols” for confused sufferers to be safely assisted.
At the end of the conference, municipal authorities signed the charter making the Brussels-City region the 50th signatory in Belgium. Current dementia-friendly cities in Belgium include Liège, Nivelles, Charleroi, Namur, and Anderlecht.
Since 2020, more than 200,000 thousand cases of dementia have been recorded in Belgium. The country’s rapidly ageing population is likely to only increase the pressure on local authorities to establish support networks and care infrastructure for dementia patients.
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Brussels Mayor Philippe Close stated that the issue of dementia would soon constitute “a challenge” for the City of Brussels and authorities.
Authorities are already working to anticipate this increase in cases, initiating local initiatives and creating care facilities, such as the recently opened Maison Vesale, a rest and care home for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
A study from earlier this year, showed how bilingualism has a positive effect on fighting against dementia. Being proficient in two – or more – languages improves brain function and slows down its ageing, delaying the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
