NEWSLETTER October 2016
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NEWSLETTER October 2016 It has been an exciting month for Highlights in this issue Editorial our projects too, with the launch of new IMI project AMYPAD - Amyloid 7 Welcome! 30 Sept: MSD organises imaging to prevent Alzheimer’s dementia forum at Gastein Firstly, I would like disease. We are delighted to be a 5 Oct: AMYPAD project is 3 to congratulate all part of this novel research launched the members of initiative, a sister project to the 11 Oct: EPAD publishes AD 4 our European European Prevention of detection recommendations Working Group of Alzheimer’s Dementia (EPAD) 13 Oct: MEP Karin Kadenbach 7 People with initiative. AMYPAD is currently joins EAA Dementia (EWGPWD), as the group looking for a PhD student to join its 14 Oct: EWGPWD receives 2 has won the international Mano ranks at the VUMC Medical Amiga award for services to people Amsterdam. For further international award with dementia. EWGPWD Vice- information about this position see 31 Oct: It’s time for 26AEC! 2 Chair Helen travelled to Spain page 25. EPAD, meanwhile, together with AE Project Officer published two breakthrough Ana Diaz to accept the award. The recommendations for detection of two other winners this year were early preclinical Alzheimer’s Dr Pablo Martinez-Lage, a member disease and also began screening of the AE Expert Advisory Panel, participants in France, and none other than Queen Sofia of Netherlands, Spain and the UK. Spain! A very proud moment indeed and well deserved by the For our part, we began the month whole group. by processing the 400 applications received for our three open The acceptance speech given by positions. Many thanks to all who Helen was excellent and very applied! Interviews have been moving - you can read it in full in completed and the successful Table of contents this month’s “Living with applicants will be hearing from us Editorial ................................................... 1 dementia” section on page 24. shortly. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues Alzheimer Europe................................... 2 Helen also spoke at a very soon! Also on the newcomers front, EU projects ............................................. 3 interesting dementia event I am pleased to welcome the 127th organised by MSD during this year’s Alzheimer Europe networking 2016...... 6 member of the European European Health Forum Gastein, European Alzheimer’s Alliance ............. 7 Alzheimer’s Alliance (EAA), MEP which Alzheimer Europe was Karin Kadenbach, who joined mid EU developments ................................... 7 delighted to be a part of. month. Members’ news ...................................... 9 Later in the month, we got wind of Finally, I very much look forward to Spotlight on: AMPA Monaco ............... 15 good progress being made in both seeing all of you at our 26th Annual Bosnia and in the Andalucía region Policy watch ......................................... 16 Alzheimer Europe Conference of Spain regarding dementia policy: Science – behind the headlines .......... 18 (26AEC) today. 26AEC, under the Bosnia has formed a National patronage of Her Royal Highness Science watch ...................................... 20 Dementia Strategy working group. Princess Benedikte of Denmark, will Meanwhile, in Andalucía the Dementia in society ............................. 23 bring close to 700 delegates Parliament has requested that the Living with dementia............................ 23 together in Copenhagen, under the government launch the Alzheimer banner “Excellence in dementia New publications and resources ........ 24 2020 Strategy within three months. research and care”. The opening Job opportunities ................................. 24 It has already been approved and ceremony will take place at 6pm has unanimous cross-party today and I for one can’t wait! AE Calendar .......................................... 25 support. For more policy news, you Conferences 2016 ................................ 26 may also like to read our new Jean Georges Dementia in Europe magazine, out Executive Director today and available via our website. Page 1 of 27 Newsletter: October 2016 15 October: AE updates map of national dementia Alzheimer Europe strategies in Europe 14 October: EWGPWD receives International Alzheimer Europe Award in Spain recently updated its map of national dementia strategies in Europe and among its member associations. The updated map notably shows that new strategies were recently launched in Denmark and Slovenia. In addition, a new category for France and Spain shows that these countries operate neurodegenerative disease strategies that include aspects of dementia. AE regularly monitors the status of national dementia strategies in Europe and the AE website contains comprehensive information about the development and The International Mano Amiga Awards were created in launch of new strategies. 2011 by Alzheimer Leon to recognise and encourage www.alzheimer-europe.org/Policy-in-Practice2/National-Dementia-Strategies outstanding work of individuals, organizations, institutions or groups being conducted in the field of dementia. The 31 October: AE releases new issue of Dementia in awards seek to identify and showcase innovative research Europe magazine and initiatives that contribute, in a meaningful and significant way, to enhance the health, wellbeing and Alzheimer Europe has circulated quality of life of people with dementia and their families. issue 23 of the Dementia in Europe magazine. The new issue In their V Edition, Alzheimer Europe’s European Working contains a special section called Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD) has received “Human rights in the spotlight” the award in the Institutional category. H.M. Queen Sofia that reports on the adoption of of Spain and the Spanish neurologist, Dr Pablo Martinez- the main body of the UN’s Lage received awards in the “Individual recognition Convention on the Rights of category” and “Individual category” respectively. The Persons with Disabilities Award ceremony took place on the 14 October 2016, at (UNCRPD) into European law. Auditorio Ciudad de Leon. A painting by the Spanish artist This includes coverage of AE’s Luis García Zurdo was awarded to the winner of each lunch debate in June 2016, an overall view of the UNCRPD, category. Helen Rochford-Brennan, Vice-Chair of the as well as expressions of support from MEPs Marian Harkin working group and Ana Diaz attended the ceremony and (Ireland) and Marek Plura (Poland). The final article in this accepted the award on behalf of the EWGPWD and of AE. section covers the launch of the Charter of Human Rights In her acceptance speech, Helen, emphasised that “the for People with Dementia in Ireland. voice of the person with dementia is very important and our involvement is now very relevant all over the world. The policy section features coverage of the new national We are heard because we are participating in research and dementia strategies in Denmark, Flanders and Slovenia, as helping to remove stigma by speaking out at events such as well as the Netherlands’ EU Presidency conference on this one. We have to come out of the shadows and we have dementia. On a global level, this issue covers the progress had our voice heard”. of the WHO in developing a global action plan for dementia, as well as an interview with Yves Joanette, the The ceremony was very moving, and Alzheimer Leon also new Chairman of the World Dementia Council. presented two recent videos that they have developed about their work and about the relevance of research, the In the news section, there is an article about a new report latter featured a person with dementia, Senen Rodriguez. that discusses the issues concerning dementia in the Senen also gave the award to H.M. Sofia. Attendees had countries surrounding the Mediterranean. This study was the chance to meet Queen Sofia at the cocktail following produced by the Mediterranean Alzheimer’s Alliance the ceremony. (MAA), an association that shares many members and values with Alzheimer Europe. This is followed by a trio of Preceding the awards ceremony, Helen and Ana were profiles from the new heads of the national Alzheimer invited to visit Alzheimer Leon’s day care centre and were associations in Germany, Spain and Switzerland. also welcomed by the Mayor of the city at the city hall. This issue is accompanied by Alzheimer Europe’s 2015 Pictured (ltr): Dr Pablo Martinez-Lage, Queen Sofia, Helen Annual and Financial Report and a special supplement on Rochford Brennan (EWGPWD), Ana Diaz (AE). the EPAD project. The “Dementia in Europe” magazine https://www.premiosmanoamiga.es/en/home-eng/international- appears in print twice per year and reaches more than manoamiga-awards 3,000 readers. The current issue is available for purchase on the Alzheimer Europe website, while previous issues can be freely downloaded. www.alzheimer-europe.org/Publications/Dementia-in-Europe-magazines Page 2 of 27 Newsletter: October 2016 31 October: It’s time for the 26th Annual Alzheimer multi-disciplinary, inter-sectorial educational research Europe Conference! framework for Europe. The biggest aim is to improve technology and care for people with dementia, and to On 31 October, the provide the evidence to show how technology can improve 26th Annual Alzheimer the lives of people with dementia. Europe Conference (26AEC) - organised in Each ESR will work on his/her own research while partnership with our developing effective collaborations with other ESRs. At the Danish member University of Nottingham, one