Twelve new specialised day care places opened in Hafnarfjörður

The Minister of Health has granted the City of Hafnarfjörður a licence to operate twelve new day care places for people with dementia. The City of Hafnarfjörður will provide premises for the operation and guarantee that services to users will be provided on a professional basis in accordance with the needs of people with Alzheimer's and other memory disorders. Cooperation will be sought with the Alzheimer's Association as the professional backer of the service.

Health Minister Svandís Svavarsdóttir says she is extremely pleased to have been able to grant the municipality's request to expand this important service, as the need is urgent:„Improving healthcare for the elderly, alongside a major expansion of nursing and day care places, is a key priority I have placed at the top of my agenda. Work on developing a strategy for people with dementia is well underway, and it is quite clear that the increase in specialised day care places for people with Alzheimer's and other memory diseases represents a significant improvement for this patient group and their families.“ says Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Minister of Health.

„We have long advocated for increased services and we very much welcome the ministry's decision. At Drafnarhús, 22 individuals are currently receiving specialised training and leisure activities, which is extremely important for this group and their families. It is now possible to provide services for an additional 12 individuals, and hopefully even more in the future. There is a great shortage of day care places for people with dementia, and an urgent need for increased services that improve the quality of life for these individuals.“ says Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður. 

In Hafnarfjörður, a specialised day care for people with dementia has been run since 2006 at Drafnarhús. The municipality of Hafnarfjörður has provided the premises, while the service has been operated by the Alzheimer's Association. Drafnarhús has capacity for 22 individuals. With the authorisation the Minister granted to the City of Hafnarfjörður today, the total number of specialised day care places for people with dementia in the municipality will be 34.

Draft guidance on the care of individuals with dementia was published for consultation on the Government's consultation portal on 24 June, and the deadline for submissions is 1 September.

· Draft strategy on the affairs of individuals with dementia in the consultation portal