New Horizons - Innovating for Dementia - Day 1

The 34th Alzheimer Europe Conference opened on 8 October 2024 in Geneva under the theme “New Horizons – Innovating for Dementia”. Hosted at the Centre International de Conférences Genève (CICG), the event attracted 963 delegates - including 37 people with dementia and 50 carers - from 42 European countries. Over 400 presenters, including 150 oral presentations, 100 quick oral presentations, and 240 poster presentations, are sharing their insights into dementia research and innovation, fostering an atmosphere of collaboration and solidarity.

The conference was formally opened by Stefanie Becker, Director of Alzheimer Switzerland and Board Member of Alzheimer Europe, alongside Jean Georges, Executive Director of Alzheimer Europe.   Stefanie Becker emphasized that while the recent breakthroughs in dementia treatment bring hope, they also present new challenges for people with dementia and their families. She noted that innovation goes beyond medical advances, highlighting the need to shift social attitudes and embrace technologies that create a more dementia-inclusive society. She underscored that innovation must also focus on improving the day-to-day support for people with dementia, ensuring that no one is left behind, particularly those who may not qualify for new treatments.

“I may have Alzheimer’s disease, but it doesn’t have me”

Chris Roberts, a former Chairperson of EWGPWD, about importance of hope and early detection.

Key Speakers

Salome von Greyerz from the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health highlighted the importance of fostering collaboration between healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and caregivers, emphasizing that new links and horizons are essential for advancing dementia care.

Pierre Maudet, State Councillor of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, and Lukas Engelberger, President of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Public Health, offered their warm welcomes, recognizing the importance of global and local efforts in tackling dementia.

 Marjolein de Vugt, Chairperson of INTERDEM (Early detection and timely INTERvention in DEMentia) network, focused on the value of small steps in dementia care. She highlighted the significance of “golden moments” in maintaining connections and improving quality of life for people with dementia, stressing that collaboration between psychosocial and biomedical approaches is key to addressing the complexity of dementia.

Two Voices, One Story – Navigating Dementia Together

The first plenary session, jointly organised by the European Working Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD) and the European Dementia Carers Working Group (EDCWG), provided personal insights into living with dementia, relationships, and independence.

 Paddy Crosbie (Ireland) shared his experience of receiving the diagnosis of young-onset Alzheimer's and how focusing on maintaining independence carried him through the initial shock.

Trevor Salomon (UK) emphasized the importance of focusing on what people with dementia can do and the necessity of adjusting environments to support them.

Liv Thorsen (Norway) reflected on the importance of mindset in shaping the experience of dementia.

Shelagh Robinson (UK) explored how relationships can either enable or disable people with dementia, stressing the need for kindness and respect. She ended her talk with a positive quote: “All shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well”.

Lieselotte (Lilo) Klotz (Germany) spoke about the difficulty of accepting her diagnosis but concluded with the reflection that “an ordinary day is the greatest blessing”. 

A glimpse into the parallel sessions

The afternoon featured an additional nine parallel sessions, including one on the experiences of minority ethnic groups with dementia and a session showcasing dementia strategies and policies. Another session, organized by Alzheimer Switzerland, focused on solidarity for people living with dementia in Switzerland.

“People living with dementia”: chaired by Kevin Quaid, Chairperson of the EWGPWD, who shared how hearing aids significantly improved his quality of life.

“Vulnerable Groups: The Swiss Situation”: organised by Alzheimer Switzerland, focusing on the challenges vulnerable populations face in dementia care.

INTERDEM Academy: discussing the role of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in dementia risk reduction and prevention.

Psychosocial interventions: a quick oral presentation session covering innovative strategies to improve quality of life for people with dementia.

Additional Highlights

European Group of Governmental Experts on Dementia held an in-person meeting prior to the conference, where representatives from 19 European countries discussed national dementia strategies and policy developments, as well as the use of anti-amyloid treatments.

The European Alzheimer’s Disease Consortium (EADC) hosted its autumn meeting, with presentations on cognitive health initiatives and advancements in plasma biomarkers.

The INTERDEM network celebrated its 25th anniversary at its Annual Meeting, bringing together over 600 researchers focused on psychosocial interventions in dementia care.

Thanks to all presenters, attendees and the event sponsors for a succesful first day at #34AEC.

#demenz #alzheimer #AEC24 #dementia Alzheimer Genève Andreina Ravani Agnès Henry Janine Gehrig-Weibel Sophie Courvoisier Alzheimer Europe