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Caregiver project 'Partner in Balance' wins Medical Inspirator Prize

The caregiver project 'Partner in Balance' has been awarded the 2017 Medical Inspirator Prize. The project, created by Lizzy Boots, a researcher at the Alzheimer Centrum Limburg, focuses on the partners of people with memory problems. The Medical Inspirator Prize, which is worth €75,000, is an annual initiative by grant provider ZonMW and highlights the needs of patients and their caregivers. Boots and her team will invest their prize money in further developing the project and making it available nationwide. 

The Partner in Balance course was specifically developed for partners of people with memory problems and helps caregivers deal with their questions and concerns after a dementia diagnosis. It was developed both for and with caregivers. During the study, Lizzy Boots worked closely with caregiver Ms Tillie-Hecker.

Ms Tillie-Hecker has taken care of her husband since he was diagnosed with dementia and believes all caregivers should receive the support they need. 'Being a caregiver isn't a choice, it's just something that happens. This course teaches you deal with your problems in a different way.' 

Partner in Balance is an initiative of the Alzheimer Centrum Limburg and was made possible with the help of the Alzheimer Onderzoeksfonds Limburg and Alzheimer Nederland. ACL is currently conducting scientific research on usability and effectiveness, carried out by Lizzy Boots and Marjolein de Vugt. With this prize, Boots hopes to make the course available to partners and family members of dementia patients throughout the Netherlands. 

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