Dementia resources in Argentina: policy, services, and statistics overview-up to date

Abstract

Argentina, the second largest country in South America, has traditionally been involved in caring for elderly. In 1971 the National Government created the Institute for the Elderly to take care of the social and medical needs of retired people with the program PAMI. This review has updated the local resources of dementia and the challenges that these face with regard to the issues associated with cognitive impairment in elderly people. Health care is shared between the public and private sectors. The distribution of resources and specialists (neurologists, psychiatrist, and geriatricians) is unequal most located in large cities. Facilities for accurate diagnosis are scarce; most of the memory clinics are in big cities like Buenos Aires, Rosario, and Cordoba. Early diagnosis is another challenge with the incorporation of the biomarkers of Alzheimer’s diseases (MRI scan, FDG-PET, amyloid-PET, and Aβ42, tau, and f-tau in cerebrospinal fluid). However the availability is limited to one center in Buenos Aires (FLENI Neurological Institute). ALMA (Association against Alzheimer’s Disease), a member of Alzheimer Disease International, is the local voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care and family support. In 2011, the Argentine Neurological Society launched the first dementia guideline for diagnosis and treatment. Although we have a long road ahead, the first steps taken by the organization of a dementia national plan constitute a hopeful challenge.