NEWSLETTER January 2015 together to make dementia a Highlights in this issue Editorial European priority. 8 January: Two MEPs sign 5 Welcome! In terms of EU Projects, January has Glasgow Declaration also been a very exciting month, We have had a with 35 project partners meeting in 14 January: EPAD project is 3 very busy and launched Paris, mid-month, to launch EPAD - exciting start the European Prevention of 22 January: AE opens 2 to 2015, Alzheimer’s dementia Initiative. conference registrations Alzheimer The five year project will establish a 28 January: AE meets with 3 Europe’s 25th European-wide register of 24,000 World Dementia Council year in participants, of which 1,500 will be member existence. invited to participate in a trial to 29 January: MEP Brando 5 First of all, I am delighted to test new treatments for prevention Benifei joins the EAA announce that Hilary Doxford, Vice- of Alzheimer’s dementia. EPAD has 29 January: Hilary Doxford Chair of our European Working attracted a lot of media attention 3 joins World Dementia Council Group of People with Dementia throughout Europe and we are very (EWGPWD) has been appointed to pleased to be involved in this the World Dementia Council and is interesting project. Also this the first council member living with month, EU researchers met in dementia. The news has been Stockholm for the launch of received with great enthusiasm another project in which AE is from other members of the involved, MIND-AD. This is a new working group as well as by our JPND-funded project, aiming to Board and member associations. identify effective prevention As to the work of the Council itself, strategies for dementia. it released a statement this month As to our annual dementia on dementia risk reduction and has conference, we are already working made this one of its five priority full steam ahead on our 25th annual areas of work in 2015. At the end of conference, this year taking place the month I met with World in Ljubljana, Slovenia at the start of Dementia Council member, Raj September. This year’s theme is Long - who leads its work on the “Dementia: putting strategies and Table of contents development of an integrated research into practice” and regulatory pathway for dementia - registrations are now open via our Editorial ................................................... 1 to discuss AE’s involvement in the website, as is the call for abstracts. Alzheimer Europe................................... 2 Global Action on dementia. For anyone interested in finding EU Projects ............................................. 3 From the global stage to the out more about our annual European one, we are delighted to conferences, the official photos Alzheimer Europe Networking .............. 4 have secured our first two MEP and videos of our Glasgow European Alzheimer’s Alliance ............. 5 signatures for the Glasgow conference are now available on EU Developments................................... 5 Declaration this month and are our website. grateful to Keith Taylor and Sirpa I look forward to seeing and Members’ News ...................................... 7 Pietikainen for their support in working with many of you and hope Policy Watch ........................................... 8 calling for the creation of a that your year has started as well as Science Watch ........................................ 8 European Dementia Strategy and ours! national strategies in every country Dementia in Society ............................ 11 in Europe, as well as calling on Jean Georges New Publications and Resources ...... 11 world leaders to recognise Executive Director dementia as a public health priority and to develop a global action plan. We are also delighted to welcome MEP Brando Benifei into our European Alzheimer’s Alliance and hope to welcome many more MEPs to the EAA this year and to work Page 1 of 13 Newsletter: January 2015 The discussions were articulated around GSK’s goal to have Alzheimer Europe a patient-centred approach in its operations. 8 January: Government experts explore possibility The patient groups present at the meeting were: Alzheimer of new European Joint Action on Dementia Europe, the Czech Coalition for Health, EGAN, Europa Donna, European Federation of Airway Diseases and Government experts met with European Commission Allergies, the European Patients Forum, the International representatives in Luxembourg on 8 January 2015 to assess Brain Tumors Alliance and Lupus Europe. the possibility of collaborating on a new European Joint Action on Dementia and building on the success of the AE’s EU Public Affairs Advisor, Annette Dumas participated previous ALCOVE Joint Action. in the meeting on behalf of the organisation. The new Joint Action would be led by the Scottish 22 January: Registration is now open for our 25th Government and four key areas were identified for annual conference collaboration (timely diagnosis and post-diagnostic support, dealing with behavioural and psychological Alzheimer Europe symptoms of dementia at home, quality care in residential (AE) and care, dementia-friendly communities). Alzheimer Slovenia (Spominčica) invite The participants at the meeting expressed their interest in you to register for fully involving Alzheimer Europe in the development of the the 25th AE annual Joint Action to ensure that the views of people with conference, this year dementia and their carers are adequately represented. to be held in Jean Georges, Alzheimer Europe (AE)’s Executive Director, Ljubljana, Slovenia from 2 to 4 September. represented the organisation at the meeting. You can take advantage of the early bird registration fee 13 January: Photos and videos from 24th AE (EUR 225 instead of EUR 350) via our website, until 31 May. conference are online The full conference registration fee includes: Alzheimer Europe Admission to all scientific sessions (AE) held its 24th Annual Conference Delegate bag and final programme including the in Glasgow from 20 abstract book to 22 October 2014 Opening ceremony and welcome reception under the motto Scheduled coffee breaks on 3 and 4 September “Dignity and Scheduled lunches on 3 and 4 September autonomy in dementia”, co-organised with Alzheimer Scotland. AE and Spominčica provide reduced rates for students and for delegates from low and middle income countries Photos and videos from the conference are now available (World Bank Categories). One day registrations are also on our website: available. http://alzheimer-europe.org/Conferences/Previous-conferences/2014- Glasgow/Conference-Photos-and-Videos 14-15 January: INTERDEM group works on outcome measures for psychosocial interventions A team of researchers from the INTERDEM group met in 22 January: AE opens call for 2015 conference London on 14 and 15 January to work on updating the abstracts important 2008 paper entitled “A European consensus on outcome measures for psychosocial intervention research Alzheimer Europe (AE) and Alzheimer Slovenia in dementia care” and to consider new themes and (Spominčica) are pleased to announce that the call for th concepts for psychosocial intervention outcome measures. abstracts for the 25 AE Conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia This work is funded by JPND. from 2 to 4 September is now open. Alzheimer Europe will organise a consultation with carers Abstracts for oral and poster presentations are welcome in and people with dementia in order to obtain feedback on the following categories: the new themes and concepts proposed. Dementia-friendly society - Involving people with AE’s Director for Projects, Dianne Gove represented the dementia, Perceptions and image of dementia, Art organisation at the meetings. and dementia, Living in the community Policies and Strategies - Dementia strategies, Legal 15 January: GlaxoSmithKline organises its Health issues, Care pathways, Minority groups Advisory Board meeting Innovative care – Psychosocial interventions, Post- On 15 January, in Brentford (UK), British multinational Diagnostic support, Person-centred care, End-of-life pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) aspect organised its Health Advisory Board meeting. Medical aspects – Timely diagnosis, Risk factors and prevention of dementia, Behavioural and Page 2 of 13 Newsletter: January 2015 psychological symptoms of dementia, Treatment of Dianne Gove participated on behalf of AE. dementia. 29 January: Hilary Doxford becomes 1st World The call for abstracts will close on 31 March 2015. Dementia Council member living with dementia On Additional information is available on our website: 29 January, we were delighted to www.alzheimer-europe.org/Conferences/2015-Ljubljana/Call-for-abstracts hear that Hilary Doxford, Vice- Chair of the European Working 28 January: AE meets with World Dementia Council Group of People with Dementia representative for exchange of views (EWGPWD) was appointed to the World Dementia Council. Ms On 28 January 2015, Doxford, who was diagnosed Raj Long, World with early onset Alzheimer’s Dementia Council disease in 2012, is the first member and UK council member living with Government dementia. Integrated Development You can read more about Hilary Director paid a visit Doxford here: to Alzheimer Europe http://alzheimer-europe.org/Alzheimer-Europe/Who-we-are/European- for an exchange of Working-Group-of-People-with-Dementia/Current-Members/Hilary-Doxford views. The announcement of her appointment on the UK Raj Long leads the World Dementia Council’s work on the Department of Health’s website is here: development of an integrated