Scotland as a role model

Why dementia too often remains a secret in our country

Only one in three dementia patients in Upper Austria is aware of their condition

(Bild: stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

Only one in three people affected in Upper Austria is diagnosed. In Scotland, there are many more, as the disease is no longer a taboo subject here. Our province now wants to copy this - a delegation in search of ideas.

And then it suddenly happens that, after 40 years of marriage, someone shouts in their partner's face: "Who are you? I don't know you! Get out of my apartment!"

Warning signs overlooked
This can happen, explains Bad Ischl scientist Stefanie Auer, if signs of the onset of dementia are ignored, for example: You can no longer find your hotel room on vacation or forget to meet up with friends. This late reaction, says Auer, can endanger the healthcare system because people with advanced dementia require a high level of care - "if we don't take action in time".

Twice as many illnesses detected
The Upper Austrian state government now wants to do just that, which is why a delegation led by Health Officer Christine Haberlander and Social Affairs Councillor Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (both ÖVP) is currently visiting Scotland. This is not because of the famous whisky or the picturesque old town of the capital Edinburgh, but because of one figure: according to Auer, only 30 percent of dementia sufferers in Austria are diagnosed as such - in Scotland, the figure is between 50 and 70 percent, depending on the estimate. "No diagnosis, no treatment," says Auer, but this could "prolong the good times and shorten the time of suffering", i.e. delay the progression of the disease.

Taboo makes everything worse
What works better in the UK? "The Scots are doing an exemplary job of removing the taboo surrounding dementia," says Hattmannsdorfer. Upper Austria wants to learn from this. The idea behind the Scottish dementia strategy is already in its name: "Everyone's Story" is intended to express the fact that dementia is something that concerns us all: The disease concerns us all. Communities, associations and even children are involved: Eight to twelve-year-olds are being taught in a playful way how they can keep their brains fit.

Deputy Provincial Governor Haberlander and Provincial Councillor Hattmannsdorfer met the Scottish Minister for Health Maree Todd (center).

(Bild: Land OÖ/Philipp Albert)

Number of patients will double
Around 25,000 people in Upper Austria currently have a dementia diagnosis, and this number is set to double by 2050. Deputy Governor Haberlander wants to expand prevention and takes away from Scotland: "It is essential to look at the whole environment of the patients and strengthen cooperation between the institutions."

Nothing is fixed yet
There are no concrete measures or a fixed budget yet, but the aim is to develop an action plan based on the trip. Upper Austria is not starting from scratch: there are eleven dementia service centers throughout the province. Sufferers and relatives can go there and get an appointment for a free dementia test or consultation within four weeks. In Scotland, patients have to wait around a year for a test.