With the arrival of December, we close a new chapter. It has been a year full of challenges, changes, learning experiences and shared moments. At SC Trade Center, some time ago we decided to approach this year-end in a special way: instead of giving material gifts, we allocate the Christmas budget to supporting social organizations in our community.
In 2025, we are collaborating with two organizations that carry out essential work with great human value:
– The Association of Relatives of Alzheimer’s Patients of Vallès Occidental (AFA VO)
– The Vinne Foundation
Today we would like to bring you a little closer to one of these organizations, AFA VO, through an interview with its president, Anna Fitó.
How would you define the work carried out by AFA?
We accompany. We support families who live with a person with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. We offer them guidance, support and services so they don’t have to face it alone. Because, truly, this cannot be done alone.
What would you say are the main challenges faced today by caregivers?
The biggest challenge is that many families feel very alone. Unlike other stages of life, such as when you have a child, there is no clear pathway to guide you. With an illness like this, you are confronted with a very harsh reality and very few resources.
In addition, it is often difficult to accept help. That is why strong awareness campaigns are needed to say: “Let yourself be helped. Don’t do it all alone.”
What message would you like to convey to those who find it difficult to ask for support?
That caring for a person with dementia can never be done alone. They need to be accompanied, whether by professionals or by their own family or community network. Otherwise, the caregiver can also break down.
What is the support process offered by your organization like?
When someone comes to see us for the first time, we conduct an interview to listen to them and inform them about everything they may need: legal procedures, social services, financial aid… We also talk to them about the importance of taking care of themselves as caregivers.
We offer support groups, therapeutic activities, workshops, and also respite spaces so that affected individuals can maintain their abilities while family members get some rest. When mobility becomes more difficult, we also provide home care services. We try to adapt to each case with great empathy.
What does it mean to you that a space like SC Trade Center gives visibility to your work?
It is extremely valuable. At the Trade Center there are companies that may not have been aware of our reality, and this collaboration allows our work to reach further. Not only because of the contributions, but also because of the network of contacts and the visibility that can be generated.
Do you believe that centers like SC Trade Center can play an active role in raising awareness?
Absolutely. When they told me they wanted to collaborate, I thought, “How lucky!” Because it’s like a drop that keeps spreading. Someone sees it, talks about it, becomes interested… and that helps many more people understand what we do and why it is so necessary.
Why do you think it is important for citizens or the business community to collaborate with organizations like yours?
Because in order to continue offering services, we need resources. We know that many people affected by this disease receive very low pensions, as they worked during periods when contributions were not always properly made.
It is estimated that the disease can cost up to €30,000 per year, and not all families can afford this. The support of individuals and companies allows us to help more people and to do so better.
In addition to AFA VO, we also collaborate with the Vinne Foundation, which works to connect the business world with the third sector. They act as a bridge between companies and social organizations, facilitating real collaborations and impactful projects. A good example? The delicious arrugats we have delivered to some of our clients this Christmas.
