A 50 años del inicio de la fonoaudiología en Chile: experiencias y desafíos actuales en salud pública

20 EXPERIENCES IN THE PILOT MEMORY UNIT FOR THE NATIONAL DEMENTIA PLAN Abstract It has been projected that in 2050, 152 million people in the world will be living with some type of dementia. The American Speech Hearing Association mentions the role of the speech therapist in maintaining independence and quality of life regarding communication and nutrition of people with dementia. The construction of this role, in the Eastern Metropolitan Health Service, meant a process of several stages: review of evidence and experiences - national technical assembly; structuring the speech-language pathology role (clinical and therapeutic skills); and management of a local referral disciplinary network. This process resulted in the definition of the contribution of speech therapy in the diagnosis and treatment of people with dementia and their environment, generation of good practices among colleagues dedicated to the area in the country and network collaboration with other health programs and devices. Currently, the number of speech-language pathologists in this field reaches 13, and it is necessary to make greater efforts to maintain work groups that promote good practices and the development of friendly communities with people living with dementia. Keywords: memory unit, mental health therapy, person centered care.