The Onassis Foundation supports the creation of the National Model Center for Dementia
On October 1, a date of particular symbolic significance as the International Day of Older Persons, the donation agreement for the National Model Center for Dementia and Related Disorders in Peristeri was signed. As part of Initiative ’21, the Onassis Foundation, together with 10 other public-benefit foundations and the National Bank of Greece, are joining forces to fund the project.
Photo: Dimitris Papamitsos
The creation of the Center addresses one of the most significant challenges associated with an aging population and adds to the initiatives that the Onassis Foundation has supported and implemented in the field of Health. At the event marking the signing of the agreement, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis referred to the Foundation’s longstanding contribution to this field and personally thanked its President, Anthony S. Papadimitriou.
The Center is being established as part of the Initiative ’21, with the participation of the National Bank of Greece, the Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Foundation, the Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Foundation, the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, the Social and Cultural Affairs Welfare Foundation (KIKPE), the Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation, the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the Athina I. Martinou Foundation, the Bodossaki Foundation, the TIMA Charitable Foundation, and the Onassis Foundation.
Photo: Dimitris Papamitsos
The signing of the donation contract by Anthony S. Papadimitriou, President of the Onassis Foundation
In a country with 214,000 recorded cases of dementia, the new Center will address a significant healthcare and social need. It will be housed in a 724-square-meter ground-floor space in Peristeri, provided by the Holy Metropolis of Peristeri. Following the renovation of the premises and the acquisition of the necessary equipment, the Center is expected to begin operating on a pilot basis in September 2027 and become fully operational in spring of 2028, with the capacity to serve 5,000 patients and caregivers annually.
The renovation of the premises, the purchase of equipment, and the Center’s first two years of operation will be funded through a €4.49 million donation from the members of Initiative ’21 participating in the project.
Photo: Dimitris Papamitsos
The Center will focus on the early diagnosis and appropriate support of people with dementia and related cognitive disorders, with the goal of helping them maintain their independence and slowing the progression of the disease. At the same time, it will provide guidance to caregivers and certified training for healthcare professionals, contribute to the development of quality standards and evaluation methods for other care facilities, and support volunteering, awareness-raising, and educational initiatives for civil society.
Ioannis Manos, Advisor to the National Bank of Greece and Coordinator of Initiative ’21, also highlighted the project’s collective nature, noting the contribution of Anthony S. Papadimitriou, President of the Onassis Foundation, to the original idea for the Center’s creation.
