Havana, December 22 (RHC)-- Cuba will progressively open nursing homes in 2015 to assist senior citizens suffering from Alzheimer's, while one of those institutions is already experimentally operating in Havana.

The announcement was made by the head of the National Program for the Elderly at the Cuban Health Ministry, Doctor Alberto Fernandez, who noted that the first nursing home in the Havana municipality of Playa has proven the positive results of the initiative.

These new places now include a nurse specialized in attention to persons with mental disabilities and social workers who help the sick to carry out everyday activities, such as bathing, dressing themselves, and eating.

One in every 10 Cubans over 65 years of age develops some kind of delirium according to a recent study by health specialists. The official said that recent research indicates that over 270,000 Cubans will suffer from such conditions by the year 2030. This requires the setting up of new centers to assist Alzheimer's patients during the day as their relatives carry out their daily duties.

According to Fernandez, the number of nursing homes will increase to 156 with 11,954 beds and the service will enable relatives to continue to work without abandoning their jobs, something that often happens when someone is sick at home.

Meanwhile, the Cuban government has allocated 66 million dollars to repair and maintain existing elderly homes and to implement the new project.