The Technical Director of AFATE, Ms. Inmaculada Rodríguez Melián, exposes very clearly in this interview, the extensive and important work of the Association of relatives and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias of Tenerife.
If you have a family member or acquaintance with Alzheimer's disease in Tenerife (and even in other islands, where they can also do their job), this interview interests you. We start ...
What services does AFATE offer in Tenerife for people with Alzheimer's?
We currently have on the island of Tenerife 14 comprehensive care units. They have either four hours of therapeutic activity in the morning or three hours in the afternoon.
It works with an individual plan of attention from the areas of therapy, psychology, occupational therapy and speech therapy, completed with support from social work. Of this we have six units in the southern zone, four in the northern zone and two in the metropolitan area in La Laguna and Santa Cruz.
Apart we have two therapeutic day centers in La Laguna and Santa Cruz, in which users receive the same therapeutic activity but continuously from the 8 to the 5 in the afternoon.
Then we have el home delivery.
Do you offer any kind of service in other islands of the archipelago?
Yes. It should be noted that, both the home help service and the home autonomy promotion service, have insular coverage.
In addition, we are excited that next Tuesday (September 17), we will have the inauguration of Our service in La Gomera. He has been in great demand on the Colombian island, and little by little, he will fulfill that therapeutic function with users.
What services does AFATE have for relatives and caregivers of Alzheimer's patients in Tenerife?
We have the part of support and advice to family members and caregivers. This service includes: counseling, evaluation, individual, emotional and group support. as well as other activities that require this advice.
It is important to note that these services to family members and caregivers They are totally free. They include training, both at the group level and in situ (at home).
What benefits do you see in patients?
We notice the benefit in the daily. Really who else notices the benefit He is the neurologist. Mainly, it is these specialists, who refer us cases of Alzheimer's patients in Tenerife.
And it is that the neurologist notices the difference between a person who is treated with therapeutic activities with a plan, and the person who is not.
That's why AFATE services throughout the islandIt was something that neurologists had been demanding for a long time.
In addition, the context group It has added benefits for people with Alzheimer's: avoid isolation, favor la socialization, la communication, improvement el frame of mind y decrease alterations of behavior
Therefore, we can affirm that with the work of AFATE, the benefits what we notice are multiple.
We have users with us for years who know that the disease progresses, But they notice day-to-day benefits and in families too.
What benefits do you see in the relatives of Alzheimer's patients who attend AFATE?
On the one hand it is the family respite. The hours that the user spends with us on AFATE, are hours that the primary caregiver can dedicate himself. Time you need, because The work of the caregiver 24 hours tires and depletes, especially when there are behavioral alterations. In this way, that time that the user spends here is a space that the caregiver has for himself.
Another important benefit is the advances they see in their relative with Alzheimer's. Because they notice the difference between the user who comes here and the one who does not come. They notice it in their behavior, in their character...
Many family members tell us that we should open Saturdays and Sundays, because users always want to come.
Then there is the fact that they can Share and learn from the disease. Learn to manage day to day with the advance of Alzheimer's.
As it progresses, they are being prepared by our professionals to face that day to day, that handling of disorientation, forgetfulness, non-recognition of family members, etc. Entonces the family member feels supported in training and emotionally supported.
Know that you can consult with AFATE professionals, provides them with security.
What are emotional support groups?
Emotional support groups are a very important tool. What are they about? In the groups bring people together to share that experience.
In AFATE, we follow the therapeutic intervention model of therapeutic support groups of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation. This is a method that AFATE helped validate in the year 2014, when we started the collaboration project with them; collaboration that we continue so far.
Apart from that we give it a small peculiarity, because we serve almost 500 people daily (only counting users). Therefore, we have many relatives too.
How are these support groups divided?
We differentiate support groups between: spouse groups y groups of children, Because the emotional reality is different.
It is not the same as a lifelong couple having Alzheimer's, that the father or mother has.
The groups have an average of seven or eight sessions and in them you learn to normalize conflicting feelings.
Sharing experiences in a group and seeing that other people also have those feelings is important. Learning to relax is much better and emotionally helps people.
We, in the Association of relatives and caregivers of patients
of Alzheimer and other dementias of Tenerife (AFATE), We have support groups throughout the island all year.
Where are the services of this Association located?
We have services in the South Zone in: Adeje, Guía de Isora, San Miguel, Fasnia, Candelaria and in the Rosario. We are awaiting the opening of new ones in the south.
In North Zone we have in: Los Silos, Icod de los Vinos, Puerto de la Cruz and in Realejos.
At the Metropolitan area we have in Ofra, Santa Cruz and La Laguna (in Anchieta), apart from the two day centers.
How does a person interested in their services communicate with AFATE?
You can do it through our web pagethrough Facebook and other social networks, or over the phone 922 660 881
On that phone, they can make an appointment without any commitment for advice and evaluation.
It is important to emphasize that guidance and counseling services they are free and that does not imply any kind of commitment with us.
In fact, we have cases of people who only want to get advice because they may have their family member with the disease on another island or on the peninsula and want to receive advice and information.
