At the initiative of the South Morocco Alzheimer Association, the first Alzheimer’s Pilot Center in Morocco was inaugurated in Essaouira on April 4, 2015, thanks to the support of AMPA and the Essaouira Mogador Association, founded and chaired by André Azoulay, Advisor to His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, in collaboration with the Coeur de Gazelles Association. The Essaouira Alzheimer’s Pilot Center is the first platform for information, assistance, support, respite, and research for people with Alzheimer’s and their families in Morocco. Specially designed for neurodegenerative diseases, it will allow for the experimentation of different approaches to care and support with a view to generalizing these care methods throughout the country. This center has already benefited from the expertise of the Monegasque gerontology network led by Professor Alain Pesce.
Intended for elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease or related illnesses living at home and their families, it offers a range of multidimensional interventions to address both medical-social and social factors.
Its role is to meet five needs:
1. A memory clinic to better identify, refer, and monitor patients and their families
2. A research and expertise center to develop medical research and increase scientific knowledge about this disease
3. A welcoming platform, a listening and information center to better raise awareness, inform, and train families in supporting their loved ones.
4. A living and stimulating environment to welcome patients for day care, improve their independence, and provide respite for families.
5. A friendly and adapted space to promote well-being and maintain the social and relational lives of patients and their families.
This facility is managed by the South Morocco Alzheimer Association, chaired by Professor Najib Kissani, Head of the Neurology Department at Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech.