Clinique de la Mémoire : une expérience belge

An experimental project in Belgium was created by the National Institute for Health and Invalidity Insurance (INAMI) to help patients suffering from dementia (i.e. Alzheimer's disease). The project consists of the creation of 12 “Memory Clinics” distributed strategically in Belgium and proposes rehabilitation programs for patients with early diagnosis of dementia (stages 2 to 4 with global deterioration on Reisberg's scale). The main aim of the project focuses on the patient to ensure that the home situation remains tenable for both the patient and carers for as long as possible and with the best quality of life. This article explains this government project, the method for the multidisciplinary work and the importance of the interdisciplinary approach. The intervention is documented by evidence-based medicine and insists on the importance of future clinical trials in this domain.