Luxembourg is looking for urban farmers
A new pilot project in the capital will try out multi-faceted farming in a built-up setting as a source of food and environmental awareness
Maintaining independence and participation in public life are crucial for people suffering the disease, Source: Steven HWG / Unsplash
According to Vienna’s chief physician of psychosocial services, in 2050, dementia will be the biggest issue for the healthcare system and the families
Today, Vienna’s chief physician of psychosocial services and President of the Austrian Society for Geriatric Psychiatry and Geriatric Psychotherapy, Dr Georg Psota, called for more recognition for dementia patients in the Austrian capital.
Dr Psota was quoted in an official statement by the city, explaining that dementia will become one of the biggest medical issues in the future. This, he pointed out, was due to increased standards of life and longer lifespans, but also, it is a statistical phenomenon.
According to current data, there are around 130,000 currently living with dementia in Austria. In Vienna, that number is around 30,000 people. He pointed out that projections say that can increase to 250,000 in Austria and 60,000 in Vienna, by 2050.
Dr Psota explained that in the coming decades dementia would likely become the biggest challenge for care facilities and families, as the population is ageing. He continued by pointing out that currently four out of five dementia patients live at home, rather than in a facility.
Additionally, three out of four patients are cared for by family members and in two-thirds of these cases, those family members are over 60 years old. This puts enormous pressure on society and healthcare authorities need to react.
One of the biggest hurdles for people with dementia is the urban environment, as cities are generally not built for people that have difficulties navigating them. At the same time, living a fulfilling and active, dignified life could slow down the disease.
Dr Posta also said that housing and an accessible daily structured life need to be included in the care package and that would need a lot more care staff and family members.
One of the solutions he pointed to was Vienna’s 2035 Dementia Strategy. The policy itself was adopted in late April 2022. One of the key actions in the first stages of the strategy involves linking dementia patients with non-governmental organisations and helping them create joint, visible leisure activities.
According to Peter Hacker, City Councillor for Social Affairs, this would help start a process of de-stigmatisation, which in turn would lead to more broad support among the Viennese population.
Councillor Hanke explained that in addition to medical care, maintaining independence and participation in public life are crucial for people suffering from the disease.
Are you between 15 and 29 years old? Take a moment to complete a short survey on youth empowerment on this link.
The subsidy will apply to single women, couples and families
The aim is to have a carbon impact of only 2.5 kg of CO2 per square metre per year
The government has set aside a 150-million-euro pot, which is supposed to replenish once the properties are resold
Search for health, search for well-being - in any sense and category of these terms
The Agri-Tech centre in Osnabrück has a lab, workshop and test field all rolled into one
These officials help seniors to push back the feelings of alienation in a world gone rapidly technological
It’s the latest European capital that wants to do something about the rampant and chaotic use of the two-wheelers in its public spaces
Regional authorities have identified 260 roadside areas suitable for solar farms; so they are looking for partners
The aim is to have a carbon impact of only 2.5 kg of CO2 per square metre per year
The subsidy will apply to single women, couples and families
It makes perfect sense, given the vibrant café and fashion cultures in that country
Search for health, search for well-being - in any sense and category of these terms
The new itineraries are part of the DiscoverEU programme, which lets 18-year-olds travel by train between important European sites
The European Commission has published its first progress report charting the achievements of the socio-cultural movement that combines beauty, inclusion and sustainability
The 2023 edition of the creative initiative promises to be bigger, bolder and more inclusive
Veni Markovski’s take on dealing with disinformation in the European Union's poorest country – Bulgaria
A conversation with the mayor of Utrecht on the occasion of her mission to COP27
A conversation with the President of the European Committee of the Regions, about energy, climate change and the underrated importance of cohesion policy