Due to rise in life expectancy, especially in developed countries, dementia's incidence has increased dramatically
and some current forecasts project a doubling of the number of persons affected every 20 years. In effect, Europe
accounts for over 28 % of the global number of people with dementia, following only Asia (with 35 %) (Prince &
Jackson, 2009). In this respect, the Council of the European Union (2008), acknowledging the challenges faced with
a swiftly ageing population and the fact that prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases rises with age, called on
member states to provide for strategies that could combat the onset of dementia so that increased longevity could be
accompanied by a certain quality of life for seniors. Moreover, the particularly rapid increase in life expectancy in
those EU countries where it had been relatively low has turned neurodegenerative diseases a Europe-wide concern,
shifting the emphasis on preventive actions, such as cognitive stimulation. According to the Commission of the
European Communities (2009), there is growing evidence that mental activity and stimulation, through lifelong
learning, as well as through social interactions, may reduce the risk of developing dementia. Conversely, inactivity
appears to be a risk factor, as there is evidence to suggest that when people come to retire without making
appropriate adjustments, retirement acts as a catalyst for age-related cognitive decline