The progressive aging of population requires an in-depth reflection of their implications for the aged person, family unit and socio-cultural issue. The high rate of dementia or other neuropsychological disorders and the inherent tensions to the disease and care process underlines the urgency of reflection and action in order to provide appropriate and effective support to the family and primary caregiver, in a condition of home care provision. Therefore, the Memory Clinic of INTRAS Foundation develops efforts in different areas concerning mental illness:

NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL REHABILITATION SERVICE with structured protocols adapted to each person: helping people who have suffered stroke, traffic or industrial accidents, brain tumor, head trauma, occupational stress, depression, mental illness or other neurodegenerative diseases involving memory loss.

·         Clinical evaluation and diagnosis

·         Assessment of the impairment/damage degree (cognitive, behavioural and personality)

·         Rehabilitation of cognitive functions

·         Psychotherapeutic intervention in emotional, behavioural and personality

PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC SUPPORT FOR INFORMAL CAREGIVERS

·         Attention to the symptoms of “Burden” presented by caregivers

·         Preventive monitoring and occasional informational support

·         Support in crisis by personalized attention support: face-to-face and dedicated telephone line

·         Psychoeducational workshops about the family disease and the care giving process

·         Psychotherapy in group for informal caregivers

COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION ABOUT THE MENTAL ILLNESS

·         General information about community resources

·         Attention services for citizens with orientation to the best suited services for each scenario (social, health, environmental and socioeconomic presentation, expectations)

A close link, an extended and humane compromise and, consequently, a sense of obligation regarding the social approbation is the basis for informal care giving. Nevertheless, the familiar caregivers normally feel underprepared for the physical, emotional, social and financial burnout implicated in this mission resulting in negative implications to the familiar care giving and the person been cared for. These factors may be decreased by preventive interventions oriented to the care givers. For these reason INTRAS offer services for the direct caregiver. It is an individualized psychoeducational support with the purpose of formation in mental health and psychosocial support. INTRAS implement a multiplicity of strategies and practice tasks that challenge the caregivers for the identification and resolution of specific behavioral problems. INTRAS encourage them to learn most efficient coping strategies increasing their resilience and self-esteem in the caregiving role, involving them in an active learning experience. Along with this support, the recognition of the importance of the caregiving role is essential to the continuity of the familiar care. The optimization process of the informal caregiving role through the reinforcement of the adaptation capabilities and management abilities is a common approach in our centre’s and services.