Pharmacists in Zoetermeer will give medicines in special bags in the coming months with the message ‘We are the medicine ourselves’. In doing so, they draw attention to the link between lifestyle and dementia.
“You can reduce the risk of dementia yourself by following three simple advices,” says Renée Peeters, pharmacist in Rokkeveen-Oost. “Stay curious, eat healthy and exercise regularly. It is important to pass this on to as many residents of Zoetermeer as possible. As pharmacists, we are happy to contribute to this.”
More people with dementia
Zoetermeer is aging faster than the rest of the Netherlands. And the aging population is causing a significant increase in the number of chronically ill. The number of people with dementia is expected to increase by 74 percent in the next 15 years. “Everyone has experience with someone with dementia. We also see people who receive the diagnosis from the pharmacy. It is a nasty disease for which there is unfortunately no suitable treatment yet. That is an extra motivation for us to turn the tide.”
health check
“We receive about 150 clients a day in our pharmacy,” says Peeters. “We often see people when they are sick, but it is becoming increasingly important to get and stay healthy. For example, we offer the health check. Residents can have their cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, weight and abdominal circumference measured. indicate how healthy someone is,” explains Peeters. “We invite people who are not yet sick to do this. With the help of these measurements and by asking specific questions, we provide insight into how healthy someone is. The campaign ‘We are the medicine ourselves’ gives examples of how people themselves use the medicine. can be achieved by working on a healthy lifestyle.”
Three lifestyle advice
Anja Lens is a prevention nurse at Plicare and campaign manager for ‘We are the medicine ourselves’ in Zoetermeer. “Scientific research shows that various lifestyle factors have a strong influence on the risk of developing dementia. Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and too little physical activity all contribute to this. The risk of dementia can be reduced in thirty percent of cases, if you follow three lifestyle advice: stay curious, eat healthy and exercise regularly. Studies also show that fifty percent of people don’t know that.”
Visible
“The advice is not only important to reduce the risk of dementia,” says Lens. “It is also good to prevent other things, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, overweight and depression. 28 organizations in Zoetermeer are now helping to spread this message. From sports associations to walking groups, from shopkeepers to museums. We are very happy that pharmacists too help make the campaign visible. The more people in Zoetermeer know about it, the better.”
More information about the campaign can be found at www.wezijnzelfhetmedicijn.nl/haaglanden.
Photo: Photographer: Hilbert Krane
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