ALADDIN
Chronic illnesses take a huge toll on the lives of European citizens, even though much is known about how to prevent chronic disease, and how to delay or avoid many related complications. Systematic and comprehensive health care can benefit both chronically ill patients and providers by enhancing their encounters, improving clinical outcomes and reducing health care costs. An effective tool in this approach to care is information technology. Information systems generally offer a number of benefits in health care, including higher quality of personalised healthcare and more efficient information processing. A specific area of increasing significance as regards chronic conditions is that of patients with cognitive disorders, which draw increasing attention as the society gradually ages. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of cortical dementia, is a degenerative brain disease for which there is no known cure but only a symptomatic therapy. In its most common form, it afflicts individuals over 65 years old, although a less prevalent, familial early-onset form also exists. Multi-infarct dementia, also known as vascular dementia, is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer disease (AD) in older adults. Experts estimate that 26.6 million people worldwide had Alzheimer in 2006, which would multiply by four by 2050. The World Health Organisation estimates that globally the total disability adjusted life years (DALY) for AD and other dementias exceeded eleven million in 2005, with a projected 3.4% annual increase. Due to the progressive and degenerative nature of the disease, management of Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients is essential.
The role of the main caregiver is often taken by the spouse or a close relative. Caregivers may themselves suffer from stress, over-work, depression, and being physically hit or struck. Due to the progressive and degenerative nature of the disease, management of Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients is essential. Of particular importance is the management of the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia that often are the main cause of distress and anxiety to the caregivers as well.