First stone of island´s Alzheimers centre laid in Military Hospital

THE first stone of the refurbishment at the Military Hospital in Palma was laid yesterday by the deputy leader of the Balearic Government, Rosa Estarás. The Military Hospital, which is spread over two sites -- in calle Olmos and in calle Sant Miquel -- will be transformed into the first centre for Alzheimer patients, as well as a retirement home for people who need assistance. The renovations are expected to be finished within the next 14 months and will cost 7.2 million euros.
This will be the first ever Alzheimers centre in the whole of the Balearic Islands, and it will have a residential centre for 28 patients and a day centre for an additional twenty. At present, there are 15'000 people living on the islands who suffer from Alzheimers, and up to now it has been down to their family to look after and support them. The home, located on calle Sant Miquel, will have, amongst other services, rooms for occupational therapy, a games room, a reading room and a physiotherapy room. The Military buildings were bought by the Government in 2003, and will now help benefit the residents, said Rosa Puig, Minister for Presidency.