Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other cognitive abilities that is severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia. When faced with the signs of dementia it can be life changing and very frightening. Being well informed and having some understanding of the disease can go some way to alleviating some of those fears. Whilst there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s or dementia, there are treatments and activities that can help slow down its progress and enable the person and their carers to live their best life. This guide will help you navigate the first steps when faced with Alzheimers and dementia.
About this guide.
There is help and support available in Spain. This guide focuses on the practical first steps to take when you are concerned that you or someone you know has dementia and the support available to people with Alzheimer’s and dementia living in Spain and their carers. It also provides links to other guides and organisations that can provide support and information.
What do I do if I have or suspect dementia?
1. Get a proper diagnosis. Your doctor would usually refer you to a neurologist or maybe a gerontologist who will carry out a series of tests to determine whether there is cognitive deterioration and what kind. This specialist may refer you to a day centre for cognitive and physical activities to help slow down the progression. They may also recommend a specific diet as removing certain foods from your diet has been found to help.
2. Once you have been given a diagnosis, make a plan of action with your family or the main people in your life. What are your wishes as the condition progresses? The sooner you make a plan the better prepared you and your family will be. Talk about it now before it becomes too difficult.
3. Make sure you attend all the doctor’s appointments so the professionals are aware of how the dementia is developing.
4. Consider granting a power of attorney in Spain (Poder notarial) to someone you trust will look after your best interests. Whilst you are able to manage your own affairs consider putting a power of attorney in place so that it is easier to manage your affairs in the future should the need arise. The Age In Spain guide can be found here
5. Approach your regional/autonomous community health authority or regional government to ask for recognition of a disability. (Links to the main local governments are below). This can take several months to process, depending on where you live. Some regions will provide a temporary blue parking card just for local use while waiting for the official one to arrive. Ask at your local town hall or Social Services.
6. Contact Social Services in your local area and ensure that the social worker is aware of you and your situation. Even if you do not feel you need any support immediately, it is always advisable to make Social Services aware of who you are and where you live so that if, in the future, you do need any support or guidance they already have your background information.
Social workers are usually attached to your local town hall and often in the same building. To find their contact information, visit your local council (Ayuntamiento) office or website. Alternatively, if your situation is urgent, you can ask your doctor to make a referral, or if you are in hospital, contact the hospital social worker.
What support is available from the Spanish government?
In Spain it is more usual for families (including extended ones) to take care of people living with dementia while they are still able to live at home, rather than the state. There is state care and support available and there are many organisations which can offer advice and information.
The first requirement for state support in Spain is that the person needing the support must have been legally resident in Spain for a minimum of five years and resident for the last two years prior to seeking support. However, if you don’t meet this requirement, still approach your local social work team in case they may be able to waive this requirement.
Your social worker will need to assess you for the Law of Dependency (Ley de Dependencia). Our complete guide can be found here.
The social worker may visit you at home to assess your living conditions and advise what could be done to make it safer and more suitable for someone living with dementia.
Grants may also be available for any changes, but they are usually dependent on your income.
The following are the types of help/care available through the Ley de Dependencia as per the Spanish government guidelines. These are open to interpretation by each autonomous community and therefore may vary depending on where you live.
Prevention and promotion of autonomy
Remote assistance
Help at home - ranging from cleaning, shopping, helping with personal hygiene to cooking
Day centres
Full-time live-in residential care
Help with travel to appointments and day centres can also be organised in many cases, again depending on the region.
Remember that a lot of the services offered will depend on the household income and be means-tested.
What if I need residential care?
If you are unable to fund your own residential care then Social Services will seek a place for you, subject to meeting the residency criteria. In some areas these places are scarce and there is a high demand, often with waiting lists. This means that an allocated place may not be in your desired area and English may not be spoken. Under the Ley de Dependencia, the Government can arrange for your pension to be paid directly to them for your residential care with a small allowance being paid to you for other living expenses.
What about private care?
There are many care facilities available across Spain where English is spoken. You should interview or visit them yourself and see whether they meet your standards and expectations.
It is also possible to hire part-time or live-in Spanish or English speaking carers (depending on where you live). You will be required to pay for the services provided. You can check out local care providers, using the internet by typing in the search bar “care providers” or “English-speaking care providers near me”. Word of mouth is widely used to get personal recommendations, with friends and neighbours being a good first step in case they have any experience in using local care providers.
More information regarding health and social care institutions on the Spanish Government Website can be found here.
Am I entitled to any financial support or benefits?
If you are on a very low income and have a recognition of disability above 65%, you may be entitled to a Spanish Disability Pension (non-contributory). See our full guide here.
If you have previously worked in Spain then you may be entitled to the Spanish Permanent Disability Pension. See the Government website here.
If you are a UK pensioner and have lived in Spain legally since before January 01 2021 then you may be entitled to UK Attendance Allowance. If this is paid then your carer may also be able to claim Carers Allowance. See our full guide here.
Should I return to my home country for care?
Making a significant decision regarding relocating to another country requires thorough consideration and meticulous planning. It is vitally important that you check to see if the care you need can be provided in your home country and that you are entitled to help and support there. This is our guide on returning to the UK for former UK residents.
What if I don’t speak or understand Spanish?
If you do not speak fluent Spanish, we recommend that you take an interpreter with you to important appointments to ensure you are able to fully describe your symptoms and needs. Remember, there is support available, you just need to be able to access it.
Our guide on professional services includes a link to the the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation list of all accredited translators and interpreters in Spain on its online database. You can search for translators and interpreters by name, location or language.
To search for a translator and/or interpreter of English in Spain:
select ‘ESPAÑA’ from the country menu (‘País’)
select your region from the ‘Provincia’ drop-down list
select ‘INGLÉS’ from the language drop-down list (‘idiomas’)
check the box ‘Activo’ to ensure that only those interpreters and translators who are currently active are included in your results.
Further information
You can consult the Support in Spain Website directory of organisations for help and support local to you. The website can be found here.
If you have any questions or would like more specific information, please contact our Infoline. It is open Tuesday to Thursday from 11:00 to 13:00 on +34 932209741 or via email at any time to info@ageinspain.org
The Websites of the 17 Autonomous Communities in Spain.
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Age in Spain provides information about service providers for information only. This list is not exhaustive, and is subject to change at any time. None of the service providers are endorsed or recommended by Age in Spain. You should investigate whether a service provider will be suitable. Age in Spain does not accept any liability arising to any person for any loss or damage suffered through using these service providers or this information.
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