The Alzheimer Bulgaria Association (ABA) is a non-governmental organization of community interest, established in 2003. In the past two decades ABA was dedicated to caring for the elderly with special focus on people living with dementia, to fulfil the mission of improving the quality of their life and that of their families.  

ABA is a member of Alzheimer Europe and Eurocarers and provides practical services and support for people with dementia and their caregivers all over Bulgaria with the aim to:   

• Improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia 
• change the social perception on dementia as a disease 
• demonstrate best practice in dementia care and support 
• provide the best advice and support to anyone dealing with dementia 
• influence policy makers and the overall society to enable people living with dementia to live as they wish. 

Members of the organisation take part in Alzheimer Europe’s Working group of people with dementia, as well as the Dementia carers working group, contributing to the development of new projects and activities with their experience. 

Alzheimer Bulgaria works for a better future for everyone affected by any forms of dementia. The NGO runs regular campaigns for the rights of people living with dementia and their carers through various actions and programmes which combine detailed policy analysis, lobbying, influencing and direct actions. The organisation is committed to ensuring that people with dementia receive the best possible quality of care and support. ABA also provides training for healthcare professionals and publishes a wide range of training materials and books. 

The services offered by the organisation include consultancy for people with dementia, providing support and assistance to partner organisations and affected families to cope with the demands of caring.

ABA continually aims to raise awareness on the topic of dementia in order to improve the quality of life of people with lived experience, by sharing knowledge and information related to the causes of dementia, disseminating best practices both related to care and treatment. The organisation has experience in the application of new and innovative preventive measures, organising training courses and hands-on experience for future healthcare professionals, and advocating for the development of effective public policies. 

ABA has experience in working on several projects, including: 

• EMPROVE project provides a comprehensive training course for professionals working in the field of geriatric care.
• AIDA project aims to integrate three areas – digital technologies and different types of arts in the care of people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia – by finding innovative approaches to improve the quality of life of people with dementia.
• SAA is a gaming tool to raise knowledge against ageism and will contribute to develop empathy, tolerance and civil society skills through an interactive learning platform. SAA will contribute to restore the image of older adults as full citizens with potential to benefit their communities and remove the barriers to their social participation. 

The organisation is currently focused on its work on two projects aimed at bringing people with dementia and cultural establishments closer. 

• The Memorable project aims to integrate art and culture to connect individuals with dementia to their communities, fostering inclusion and well-being. The project results include an European Compendium of Dementia-Friendly Cultural Practices, as well as the development of a curriculum, training manual and E-Learning platform in support of inclusive cultural spaces.
• The "Heritage with care – cultural memory for people with dementia" project is carried out in collaboration with the Regional Ethnographic Open Air Museum "Etar" and aims to provide museum staff with the necessary knowledge and skills in order to create a welcoming environment for people living with dementia. 

In 2016 Alzheimer Bulgaria opened two new branches – in the town of Pleven and in the town of Gotse Delchev in Bulgaria.

The organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label that certifies that Alzheimer Bulgaria can run projects in compliance with the principles and objectives of the European Solidarity Corps and shares best European practices for supporting families with Alzheimer’s and dementia.  

JADE Health looks forward to its collaboration with Alzheimer Bulgaria as we share a common goal to make an impact and work for the wellbeing and quality care for people living with dementias. By exchanging best practices and disseminating user friendly tools, we will succeed in providing targeted education to relatives, care professionals, and other key stakeholders.  

For more information, visit their web site