Oudenaarde Raises Awareness for Dementia with Cupcake Sale and Prevention Initiative
Oudenaarde, Belgium – AZ Oudenaarde and Bernardusdriesprong are joining forces to combat the stigma surrounding dementia and raise funds for vital research, timed to coincide with World Day dementia on September 21st. Students from Bernardusdriesprong, a school for special secondary education, are baking and selling cupcakes, with all proceeds benefiting the Alzheimer Research Foundation.
The initiative aims to address prevalent misunderstandings about dementia, which often lead to isolation for those affected. “There are still a lot of misunderstandings about dementia,which means that peopel with the disease often feel isolated or forgotten. With actions such as cupcake sale,we want to break the taboo,increase awareness and create a connection,” stated representatives from AZ Oudenaarde and bernardusdriesprong.
Beyond the cupcake sale, AZ Oudenaarde is implementing internal training for staff on effective communication and dementia prevention.Expert nurse geriatrics Katelijn van de Velde explained, “We organize internal training about communication and prevention in dementia, where employees learn how to best discuss dementia with family, colleagues and patients.”
On Thursday,September 18th,from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM,a pop-up prevention stand will be set up at the weekly market in Oudenaarde. The stand, in collaboration with Your Health Health, will focus on the link between hearing health and brain health, highlighting that protecting and strengthening hearing can significantly reduce the risk of dementia.The Alzheimer Research Foundation utilizes funds to support Belgian scientific research and the training of dementia experts.
