Dementia Services: A Continental European View

Abstract

The European continent is a collection of about 25 countries with very different cultural, demographic and economic make-up. Until recently developments in eastern and western countries were virtually independent of each other due to the division by the ‘iron curtain’, or western border of Soviet influence. Eastern Europe was isolated from the rest of the continent and not felt as taking part in any sort of European development. The main differences in welfare and social development were between the wealthy northwest and the poorer southern European regions. These differences were gradually diminished by the development of the European Community, stimulating economic growth of the south.